DePaulia 1.17.2023

TheDePaulia

Crowded field of candidates clash over public safety, reproductive rights

By Jacqueline Cardenas & Una Cleary La DePaulia Editor-in-Chief & Focus Editor

The Chicago Women Take Action Alliance, an organization dedicated to women’s equity, hosted a mayoral forum on Saturday at the Chicago Temple to discuss women-centered issues in public safety, reproductive rights, employment and education. Though some walked away more informed, others felt there were no concrete solutions addressing women’s social issues.

“They truly did not understand the issues [nor did they] have responses that really matter to women,” said Sherita Ellens, president and CEO of Women’s Employed.

Throughout the forum, many candidates deflected questions asked by mod -

erators Carol Marin and Cheryl Corleyl. All mayoral candidates were present except State Rep. Kambium ‘Kam’ Buckner due to an emergency.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot used a question about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a federal law overturned in June 2022 which denies individuals the right to have an abortion in many states, as a chance to criticize former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Alderman Sophia King.

“Shame on you, Paul for not talking about women’s rights,” Lightfoot said.

Vallas did not issue a statement immediately after the law was overturned in June, though he released a plan on how

he will support reproductive rights earlier Saturday morning.

He responded to Lightfoot’s attack by pledging to “ensure that Chicago is a reproductive safe haven.”

Lightfoot also indirectly jabbed King, a former Planned Parenthood Chicago vice chair, for not supporting her recent ‘Stability Budget’ proposal that included funding for reproductive rights.

Crime and public safety was another big issue discussed throughout the duration of the forum.

More than 70% of voters ranked crime and public safety as the most important issue facing Chicago, according to a poll commissioned by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150.

U.S. Illinois Rep and candidate Jesus

The Little School Under the L

A story of growth and mission throughout DePaul’s history

By Lilly Keller Arts & Life Editor

Twenty-five brightly colored canvases adorn the walls of the Richardson Art Gallery on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus. From a distance, their content appears unrelated. However, a closer step reveals the truth: they are the faces and organizations of DePaul’s past, present and future.

While the gallery’s current showcase, “Behind the Pillars” is only a glimpse into the true exhibit, “The Little School Un -

der the L,” it invites viewers to venture beneath the Fullerton stop and admire the towering murals. Comprised of portraits, landscapes and designs, the 25 murals narrate a story spanning more than 400 years, from the time of St. Vincent DePaul, to Chicago’s ongoing battle with Covid-19.

Although the wooden frames highlight details imperceptible to their larger-than-life counterpart displayed on the Chicago Transit Authority’s 10-foot-tall pillars beneath Red and Brown Line, the exhibit allows gallery goers to reflect on

their knowledge of the University’s colorful history.

Led and curated by DePaul Art School faculty member Mark Elder, better known as “Brother Mark,” the community-supported public art project began as a way to fill space.

“I was struck with the notion of doing it [the murals] since 2010,” Elder said. “All of those pillars had a good deal of conversation that went into them. Some of them were no-brainers, you know, you

“Chuy” García said he plans to commit to the full implementation of the consent decree, an agreement that resolves a dispute between two parties without admission of guilt.

Conversely Candidates like Willie Wilson said he would add armed security on the CTA. Vallas said he would replace CPD Superintendent David Brown.

“What politicians love to do is they love to say more police,” community activist Ja’Mal Green said. “At the end of the day our public safety plan ties into all departments.”

Green’s public safety plan differs from other candidates as he would use CPD as a support system and invest into communities. Green proposed a $5 billion public

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

Basketballs decorated with motifs from the murals are gifted to important DePaul families.

Eight of the nine candidates running for mayor of Chicago participated in the Chicago Women’s Mayoral Forum on Saturday. Kam Buckner (bottom right) was not in attendance (photo via AP).

ART BY ALICIA GOLUSZKA | THE DEPAULIA PHOTOS BY ERIN HENZE | THE DEPAULIA

Pritzker signs assault weapon ban into law

By Samantha Moilanen Asst. News Editor

Shortly after Illinois lawmakers listened to audio of the screams of a child at the Highland Park Fourth of July shooting at the hearing on Jan. 9, a 34-20 senate vote approved the measure to ban the possession and distribution of assault weapons and high capacity magazines in the state.

"We will keep fighting — bill by bill, vote by vote, and protest by protest — to ensure that future generations only hear about massacres like Highland Park, Sandy Hook, and Uvalde in their textbooks,” Pritzker said in a press release.

Tuesday evening, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Protect Illinois Communities Act into law making Illinois the ninth state to institute an assault weapons ban in the U.S. The passage of this law comes six months after seven people were killed and dozens more were wounded at the Highland Park shooting last July.

"For the past four years, my administration and my colleagues in the State Capitol have been battling the powerful forces of the NRA to enshrine the strongest and most effective gun violence legislation that we possibly can,” Pritzker said.

According to the Protect Illinois Communities Act, by Jan. 1, 2024, those who already own guns now banned under Illinois law are allowed to keep them as long as they are registered with the Illinois State Police.

Under the new law, Illinois gun manufacturers can make assault weapons, but they may only sell them to buyers in other states. However, the manufacture or possession of dozens of types of rapid-fire rifles and pistols, .50-caliber guns and some attachments are now banned in Illinois.

Teny Gross, the executive director for the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, a non-profit devoted to decreasing gun violence in Chicago, said the benefits of the bill may be hindered by the lax gun laws in surrounding states.

“Just doing it in one state [isn’t] going to be enough,” Gross said. “We now have more guns than ever before.”

In 2022, as reported by Fox 32 Chicago, over 10,000 illegal firearms were confiscated from Chicago streets. It is still unclear how many more firearms remain in the city, but Fox 32 estimates the number is close to half a million.

Some city officials believe the new law will be influential in decreasing gun violence in Chicago.

“No civilian needs a military-grade weapon designed to kill as many people as possible,” said Timmy Knudsen, Chicago alderman for the 43rd Ward. “Passing an assault weapons ban will save lives and keep our communities safer here in Chicago, and across Illinois.”

Knudsen said during his first few months on City Council, he worked to develop legislation that tackles violence prevention in Chicago.

“In our city budget, we also increased violence prevention funding by $100 million to continue tackling the surge of crime in our city,” Knudsen said. “I’ll keep partnering with leaders at every level of government to keep our neighborhoods safe.”

Gross believes the bill will be influential in making their organization’s job easier when youth have less access to assault weapons in the city.

“If we had less guns, and if there was a smarter way of who gets them… and

they’re not just flooding neighborhoods, we would have a lot less to do,” Gross said.

Gross said many of the individuals his organization works with have been negatively impacted by the vast amount of guns available in the city. He said even if someone does not wish to own one themselves, many feel a gun is the only way to protect themself from violence.

“We try [to] offer them alternatives and a way out, [but] sometimes they’re feeling trapped [and] there are a lot of guns around them so some of them feel they need them for their own protection,” Gross said.

Although many find the new bill promising, there is still opposition by gun rights advocates in Illinois.

The Illinois Sheriffs Association (ISA) released a statement on Facebook on Jan. 11 expressing opposition to the legislation.

“The ISA is extremely disappointed in the passage and enactment of HB 5471, that further regulates and limits the purchase of a wide variety of weapons for lawful gun owners,” the ISA said

in the statement. “We will continue to advocate on behalf of Sheriffs, all of law enforcement and the law-abiding citizens throughout Illinois.”

Second-year DePaul graduate student Nick Kolasinski, who is starting a pro-gun special interest group on campus, believes the bill will be ineffective in curbing gun violence in Chicago and imposes on Illinoisians’ right to bear arms.

“Illinois has a terrible track record with preserving the freedoms of its citizen’s right to keep and bear arms and this is just another step toward their goal of total disarmament,” Kolasinski said. “This bill will not fulfill even a fraction of its intended effect.”

For Gross, decreasing gun violence in Chicago is a multi-faceted effort between activists, outreach groups and lawmakers in Illinois. Even though he finds the bill promising, he does not believe it alone will be enough to deter people from engaging in violent crimes.

“Even the best efforts can be defeated, so we need to do both,” Gross said. “We’ve got to take what we got and keep fighting.”

MAYA OCLASSEN | THE DEPAULIA

BRIAN CASSELLA | CHICAGO TRIBUNE VIA AP

Gov. J.B. Pritzker hugs gun control advocate Maria Pike after he signed comprehensive legislation to ban military-style firearms on Tuesday. Pike lost her son, Ricky, to gun violence. Advocate Delphine Cherry, third from right, who lost her children to gun violence, wipes away tears.

Not meeting the moment: CTA pledges security and shorter wait times

By Jake Cox Opinions Editor

As Chicago continues out of the Covid-19 pandemic, one vital service continues to operate at a level that does not serve Chicagoans to the standard pre-pandemic. Due to staffing shortages, CTA has not been able to adequately meet the demands of riders.

In August 2022, CTA announced its “Meeting the Moment” action plan. This plan outlined the five main areas of focus they are working to improve in 2023.

The plan's pillars are to “deliver reliable and consistent service; enhance safety and security for riders; improve the customer experience at CTA facilities; upgrade digital tools to improve rider communication; and invest in employees,” CTA said in a press release.

While CTA continuity touts the advancements they have made in hiring more bus and train operators as well as security, riders are not seeing these improvements reflected in their experiences on the CTA.

“2022 was a year focused on establishing the foundation for a better transit experience in 2023 & beyond,” CTA said on Twitter.

But riders are not convinced that the service is getting better.

“I have noticed a dip in the quality of service over the past couple of months,” freshman Marco Au said.

It isn’t just a feeling, CTA's “Meeting the Moment'' scorecard shows declining reliability from November to December.

Service reliability decreased from 79.5% to 75.4% for rail services, and bus service reliability remained stagnant.

In addition to the reliability, the head-

way leaves a lot to be desired for riders.

“There was a 15-minute break in between trains at 8:30 in the morning,” Lincoln Park resident Molly Fleck said. “I know they changed the schedule around, but I just don't understand why there's still such large gaps happening.”

One line in particular, is bearing the brunt of diminished service.

“The blue line is at its worst since [Commuters Take Action] started collecting data in December 2021,” said Luca Harsh, an organizer for Commuters Take Action.

In a statement to The DePaulia, CTA stands strong in its position that the challenges are due to complications from the pandemic. In addition, they included that its new bus schedule maximizes service reliability to pre-pandemic levels.

“CTA, like transit agencies and companies around the county, is grappling with unprecedented workforce challenges,” a CTA spokesperson said. “Initial data is already showing that the optimized bus schedules are resulting in substantial improvements — data on service reliability is on par with what we were providing pre-pandemic and before the workforce shortage began impacting the industry.”

For some, these “optimized schedules” are a misnomer for what are essentially service cuts.

“CTA leadership seems to be allergic to calling service cuts what they are,” Harsh said. “They're just like, ‘oh, it’s an optimized schedule.’ The speculation on the street is that they do this because admitting the service cuts would put their money in jeopardy.”

In the same statement, CTA lauded their success in hiring 452 bus operators

Activists, law experts question CPD decision to reactivate gang database

By Nadia Carolina Hernandez Print Managing Editor

After four years, the Chicago Police Department seeks to reactivate their “gang database” despite no proven effectiveness, according to law experts.

The Criminal Enterprise Information System (CEIS) collects information on individuals who are suspected to be affiliated and/or associated with gangs, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Illinois Attorney General conducted an investigation about its effectiveness and poised questions about racial bias.

“The lawsuit also alleged that individuals lacked due process in that they could not challenge their inclusion in the database,”

cluding stricter criteria for identifying individuals as gang members and notice and appeals requirements.”

The criteria for who is considered an alleged gang member varies. Their information is recorded into the database and could be used against someone if they are involved with law enforcement later.

“When you think about what the way that [databases]have been used it’s really just to collect broad amounts of information on people, oftentimes people who've never been accused or convicted of any crime,” said Ed Yohnka, communication director at ACLU of Illinois.

People alleged as gang members can face discrimination even if never convicted. This can affect people of multiple legal statuses

in 2022, but little has been said regarding train operators.

“[CTA’s January scorecard] also didn't say anything about the train operator stats,” Harsh said. “That is the more complicated hiring process, but just leaving out altogether is not a good look.”

CTA has also hired security staff to improve the safety of riders. They have implemented 50 K-9 security crews over their stations over the past months. Despite added security measures, riders still feel unsafe riding the CTA.

“I personally feel a little bit safer when there is some security on the lines, however, I don’t think that the CTA trains themselves are safer,” DePaul freshman Allyn Gordon said. “You never know who’s going to get on the train and security can only monitor what they see in the stations.”

“If the information is provided to federal immigration authorities, it can also lead to detention and deportation,” Mate said. “In addition, inclusion on the database can also impact the ability to get a job or housing. All of these harms disproportionately impact minority communities.”

Due to inequitable policing patterns, the database becomes overrun by implicit racial bias. This could lead to an overrepresented amount of people from marginalized communities to be recorded.

“[The] database system is really fundamentally going to be racially biased at its core,” said Sarah Staudt, director of policy at Chicago Appleseed. “Databases are based on police's subjective views of the people that they encounter, the people that they encounter are much more likely to be Black and Brown because of our policing patterns.”

Black and Brown youth will face discrimination if they encounter law enforcement and are recorded in the system’s database, according to Yohnka.

“It subjects them to a higher level of scrutiny,” he said. “They're more likely to be questioned. They're more likely to be targeted by police. for questioning. And that can have an incredibly intimidating impact on people.”

Minor interactions, the neighborhood someone lives in and who you know are all ways someone can get put into the system, according to Yohnka. The criteria is broad and vague which leads to an overload of people on the database making it ineffective.

“The lack of clear criteria and oversight allows for bias because

Riders who have seen security teams on the trains are also unsure what their role is.

“We just see all of the security guards with the dogs just bunching up together at the front of the screen,” Harsh said. “You really just see them standing around on their phones while things are happening."

While CTA officials are appointed, for community members who want to see improvement in their transportation, students are left with a call to action.

“We have elections coming up for new aldermen in the 43rd Ward,” Fleck said. “There's events coming up where you can meet the aldermen and you can ask them questions, and if transportation is important to you, I highly recommend that you ask those questions and vote accordingly.”

it means police can add individuals without strong evidence supporting reasonable suspicion,” Mate said.

The information rarely changes in the system while it may change in real life.

“Identifying somebody's gang affiliation is guesswork, and it changes over time,” Staudt added. “There's not a way to keep these databases current. There's not a way to keep them accurate, and so instead, you got a bunch of junk information.”

Yohnka proposed that police may not be experts in identifying a threat to communities. Instead, they should ask community members.

“Community members are much better poised and much better positioned to be able to respond to that,” he said. “They're the people who know who is a possible threat, what that looks like, and you know, how it works for the good of the community.”

Despite the criticisms, CPD has yet to release any guidelines on how they will measure success in the database.

“Law enforcement agencies argue that these databases are necessary to help in policing and preventing instances of retaliation and future crime, but as noted above, the effectiveness of these policies is unclear given that the public is often not given clear data or metrics to assess whether they work,” Mate said.

CPD has not announced whether they will make any changes to the previous policy around the database.

“It just never ever, ever, has really worked effectively as a tool in terms of a crime fighting device,” Yohnka said. “CPD has never demonstrated that they've made any changes in the way they collect or categorize information to assume that it's going to be effective this time.”

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

A Green Line train bound for Ashland/63rd pulls up to the Adams & Wabash St. stop.

Judge rules against DePaul's motion to dismiss Title IX case

By Patrick Sloan-Turner Online Managing Editor

A Northern Illinois District Court Judge denied, on Monday Jan. 9, DePaul University’s motion to dismiss a Title IX case filed by an independent contractor who worked with the school from 2005 to 2018.

The decision from Judge Franklin U. Valderrama of the United States District Court for the Northern District Illinois came after a Second Amended Complaint (SAC) from the plaintiff.

Jenny Conviser, a licensed clinical psychologist who worked as a mental health counselor to DePaul student-athletes, originally filed a Title IX complaint against DePaul in April 2020, insisting that the university wrongfully terminated her contract. DePaul motioned for —and was granted — dismissal, arguing that independent contractors do not fall under Title IX.

Conviser and her counsel amended the complaint in April 2021. This time, Valderrama denied DePaul’s motion to dismiss the case, partially citing new precedent set in Title IX cases.

“We are thrilled that Judge Valderrama denied DePaul’s motion to dismiss Dr. Conviser and Ascend’s Title IX claims,” said Conviser’s attorney, Alexandra Brodsky. “We're grateful for his very clear and thorough analysis, demonstrating that Title IX protects independent contractors.”

In 2005, Conviser and her company, Ascend, began providing mental healthcare and eating disorder counseling to DePaul student athletes until 2018. It was then that she alleges the university wrongfully terminated her contract after she reported alleged verbal, physical and sexual abuse by DePaul’s women’s softball coach, Eugene Lenti.

Conviser says she first became aware of the alleged verbal and physical abuse by Lenti

in 2016, and promptly reported to leaders in the athletic department. In December 2017, Conviser says she met with then athletic director and Lenti’s sister, Jean Lenti Ponsetto, to again relay the abuses and inform Lenti Ponsetto that a student-athlete was engaging in “sexual favors to the coach in exchange for protection from his shaming and criticism.”

By 2018, Conviser says that DePaul had stopped referring its student-athletes to Ascend, even though the university was under contract for another three years. Conviser argues that this constitutes retaliation and is the basis for her Title IX claims.

“Regardless of employment status, Plaintiffs brought to DePaul’s attention sexual discrimination of DePaul’s student-athletes,” wrote Valderrama in his decision last Mon-

day. “There is no daylight between an independent contractor who reports the discrimination of a student and a university employee who does.”

Last Monday’s decision now sends the case to the discovery stage, in which both parties can share evidence and likely depose witnesses.

“DePaul takes the welfare and well-being of its students very seriously,” DePaul spokesperson Mary Hansen told The DePaulia regarding the court’s recent decision. “The university conducts thorough reviews and ensures that appropriate internal processes are followed in response to complaints of misconduct. Ultimately, this lawsuit is a business dispute filed by a former services provider. DePaul will not comment further

while the litigation is pending.”

Lenti, who Conviser alleges abused players he was coaching on DePaul’s softball team, has coached as an assistant at Auburn University since 2020. The Hall-of-Fame coach ceased from coaching at DePaul following its 2018 season, months after Conviser says she informed Lenti’s sister and DePaul’s athletic director that he was sexually assaulting a student-athlete.

Conviser’s attorney said that the plaintiff’s primary motivation for the case is for DePaul to better protect its student-athletes going forward.

“I think that she wants DePaul to provide a safe and equitable environment for students, including student-athletes,” Brodsky said. “That's what she advocated for when she was at DePaul, that's what got her fired and that's what she's fighting for now.”

While countless Title IX cases have taken place since the civil rights law went into effect in 1972, Conviser’s case is unique in that it involves an independent contractor. Brodsky says there is little precedent for independent contractors in Title IX, which gives this case potential to add standard for workers in partnership with institutions in the future.

“This case is important on its own merits in giving Dr. Conviser and Ascend the chance to move forward with their claims, but I also think it’s important for other school staff too,” Brodsky said. “Frankly, just in changing schools’ conduct in the first place, so that there never needs to be a lawsuit [like this one].”

As for the outcome of Conviser’s case against DePaul, now that the case is in discovery, her attorney is optimistic about the plaintiff’s chances in achieving a desirable result.

“I think it's a very strong case. I think that this is textbook retaliation,” Brodsky said. “There are hard [to prove] retaliation claims cases out there, and this is not one of them.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF 2CIVILITY

U.S. District Judge Franklin Valderrama denied DePaul's motion to dismiss a Title IX case on Jan. 9.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS Jean Lenti Ponsetto served as DePaul's athletic director for 18 years until her retirement in 2020.

SGA reviews racial epithet resolution

By Claire Tweedie SGA Beat Writer

Experiencing high school in a predominantly white area of North Mississippi, graduate student Jaslynn Hodges, Student Government Association (SGA) community engagement coordinator, is no stranger to the use of racial slurs in classroom settings. From teachers to the students around her, when faced with racial epithets, she was never given a choice on how or where they were used.

Now, faced with a newly proposed racial epithet Faculty Council resolution, she wants to take back that control for others. SGA held a discussion on the resolution at their general body meeting on Jan. 12. The resolution, which did not pass in Faculty Council, was sent to SGA for feedback and approval. The discussion focused on the intersectionality of racial epithets on other marginalized groups, the resolution’s place in the faculty handbook and the policy’s effect on students.

“Now that I’m an adult and I’m a college student part of SGA, it means I'm really passionate about this resolution because I have those experiences,” Hodges said. “I felt like I was silenced and I wasn’t able to say anything and now I can.”

The inclusivity of the epithets, not only racial ones, in the resolution was questioned regarding the examples of racial epithets listed in the document and possibly expanding the policy to include epithets for other marginalized groups not based on race.

“We were expecting to get a better understanding of where our senators stood on a resolution of this kind, especially since it specifically advocates for student populations in the classroom,” SGA vice president junior Magoli Garcia said. “This resolution is being put forward by faculty so we wanted to open up the conversation.”

The resolution was written by interim dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Valerie Johnson and focuses on the university policy of discrimination and harass-

ment. Current guidelines state that professors have the freedom to use racial epithets in the context of academia, such as class readings, even if a student vocalizes their discomfort.

The resolution would protect students from this situation and add into the faculty handbook that a violation of this resolution could put a professor up for investigation and potential termination.

“There are a lot of times people don’t

Faculty not promised long-term contracts following enrollment decline

By Patrick Sloan-Turner Online Managing Editor

Following an annual report on status of faculty presented to DePaul Faculty Council members in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting, questions arose regarding the promotion and hiring in select departments in light of the university’s recent financial strain.

The report, presented by associate provost for academic planning and faculty Lucy Rinehart, details the makeup of faculty in departments throughout the university. Rinehart shared data providing information like what portion of DePaul faculty are full-time employees and how many new full-time hires DePaul has brought in over the past year and more.

Recent Faculty Council meetings have held discussions related to long-term contracts for term faculty, and Wednesday’s was no different.

In the agenda item following Rinehart’s presentation, associate professor and chair of the status of faculty committee (SoF) Andrea Kayne, asked DePaul Provost Salma Ghanem how DePaul’s recent financial woes due to declining enrollment might affect any push for long-term contracts for term-facul-

ty members.

Ghanem did not have any direct answers as to whether these contracts would be possible or not.

”Long term contract requests come to us in the spring,” Ghanem said. “I’m not opposed to long-term contracts for term faculty members for the purpose of continuity, but at the same time, we have to look at it in terms of what’s happening in enrollment.”

In a letter to faculty and staff from DePaul President Robert Manuel last month, the university leader explained that cost-saving measures would be put in place to combat DePaul’s decline in enrollment. Manuel said that administration would be enacting a hiring slow-down, limiting discretionary spending, consolidating some non-academic departments and delaying or deferring some maintenance-type requests at the university.

DePaul’s recent fall census showed a significant decline in enrollment, particularly within the graduate student body, although the school’s freshman class and enrollment of international students did increase since last year.

Ghanem addressed the decline on Wednesday and gave insight as to what she sees is behind it.

“Our undergrad retention is pretty darn

understand the student experience so there is an acknowledgment that students and student government does not fully understand the faculty experience either,” SGA president senior Kevin Holechko said. “We’re very grateful members of faculty council asked us to provide feedback and we recognize that we may not always understand the full picture.”

Hodges does not see the resolution having any negative effects on students, but

good,” Ghanem said. “What we’re seeing this year is graduate students not coming back, and this isn’t unique to DePaul. A big part of it is the economy because [graduate students] are choosing to go back to jobs.”

While faculty finally received a raise on Jan. 1, these funds were largely pulled from the university’s endowment. Ghanem was quick to explain to council members that DePaul still has a long way to go before they are no longer operating in a deficit, and that departments asking for hiring searches could be waiting longer than they would like for these searches to be granted.

“I’m going to be honest guys, I don’t think 2023 isn’t going to be better than 2022,” Ghanem said.

Faculty Council President Sonia Soltero assured the council that the president and provost offices are focused on student retention to not let DePaul’s enrollment and bottom line slip further into the red.

“Student retention is at the forefront of efforts for the president and the provost,” Soltero said. “I know [the provost office] is working with deans to keep students between quarters.”

Parliamentarian Added

A new face was seen next to Soltero at Wednesday’s meeting. Allison Ortlieb, an assistant dean and professional lecturer in DePaul’s College of Law, assumed the new position as Faculty Council Parliamentarian.

Following a vote by members, Ortlieb, appointed by Soltero, began her new role

sees the potential for pushback from professors regarding the new restrictions. She explains that the harsh boundaries could be difficult for professors who feel insulted by the sudden lack of freedom to use epithets in a classroom context.

“I know I would feel some sense of security and that my professors would be held accountable when they are creating unsafe spaces,” Hodges said. “Sometimes, having these conversations is really uncomfortable and difficult and people don't lean into that, so I’m glad this is a space where we can have those healthy discussions.”

The resolution will have the most direct effect on faculty, bringing into question SGA’s role as a student organization in providing feedback on the document. While Garcia recognizes the resolution was started by the Faculty Council, she believes in discussing it with the general student body, new perspectives were gained to improve students’ understanding of the issues.

“The reason we did bring it to SGA is because we understand that this resolution specifically impacts students and the student experience in the classroom,” Garcia said. “Yes, it does directly impact how faculty are regulated in their classrooms and the materials they are able to provide, but it also provides a layer of protection to our students’ experience at this university.”

Holechko hopes SGA’s involvement in the resolution emphasizes their willingness to help with policy ideas from any campus group, including students, faculty and staff alike. The timeline for the resolution is currently unclear, meaning the only action for SGA to do now is send their feedback and see what comes of it.

“This was a discussion on what is acceptable and what is not, what is academic freedom and what is not,” Holechko said. “It's a conversation faculty probably had a lot more than students but I think this is a great example of how even our professors, who are brilliant people, have the same problems as everyday students.”

immediately on Wednesday. As Parliamentarian, Ortlieb will act as an adviser to Soltero on procedural matters during council meetings.

The parliamentarian is a neutral voice in Faculty Council meetings and will only serve to clarify procedural questions that arise during meetings, which indeed they often do. Ortlieb explained that she will be unable to vote nor can she give any opinion on any discussion or agenda items.

With a background in law, Ortlieb said she has always been interested in the role of parliamentarians in governing bodies, making her well-poised for the position on the Faculty Council.

KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA

Isabella Ali, the Student Government Association (SGA) Senator for Intercultural Awareness, reads the racial epithet resolution during Thursday's meeting.

“I know I would feel some sense of security and that my professors would be held accountable when they are creating unsafe space.”

Jaslynn Hodges

SGA community engagement coordinator and graduate student

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL UNIVERSITY DePaul Provost Salma Ghanem has held the role of provost since 2018.

DePaul alumna appointed first Black woman for 18th judicial circuit judge

By Kiersten Riedford News Editor

The Illinois State Supreme Court recently appointed Chantelle Porter, DePaul College of Law alumna and former A. Traub and Associates family attorney, as the first Black woman to serve as a judge in the 18th judicial circuit.

In the criminal justice system, though there is a large emphasis on national politics, local courts have a larger impact on individual people. With people of color being people of power in the legal system, there are more opportunities for people to have fair trials, according to Manoj Mate, associate professor of law and faculty director for the College of Law’s Racial Justice Initiative.

Following the announcement, Melinda Oliver, president of DePaul’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) and third year College of Law student, said she was shocked to hear that DuPage county had never had a Black woman serve as a judge before.

“When I found out, the first thing I thought was, ‘oh, we will have to reach out to her,’” Oliver said. “We’re going to have to request her to come and speak with our students, particularly our first and second year students. Seeing someone who came from our college and has gone out and done such amazing work, not only to become a judge, but to do the work she was doing in her family law firm for so many years, it's inspirational.”

After the appointment was made, Porter told CBS News she was “honored to be a part of this historic moment.”

Oliver said Porter’s appointment is a big win for Black people in DuPage county, especially for Black women, because in counties that have a majority white population, it is hard for Black peoples’ voices to be heard in the judicial system. In DuPage county, 78.8% of the population is white and 5.4% of the population is Black, according to the 2022 U.S. Census Bureau.

“When you're trying in front of a jury, it's supposed to be a jury of your peers, because your experiences, your demographic, your sex, gender, age, where you're coming from, it does color,” Oliver said. “Judges are their community leaders, they set the culture of how they deal with the population when a lot of people are coming in in their most vulnerable moments [and] their most shameful moments. Having people who might understand some of your background [and …] that personal connection with the population, I just think is really important.”

Mate said that even though some counties are similar to DuPage where they are majority white, there still has to be representation for the people of color within the community for fair decisions to be made.

“When the judiciary is homogenous and lacks diversity, but the parties that are coming before it are diverse, if you keep seeing that dissonance, it can lead to a lack of trust and legitimacy in our courts,” Mate said.

As of 2019, Black women make up only about 3% of all sitting judges and 5% of all active district and circuit judges, according to the Center for American Progress. Oliver said that with this percentage being so low, it is often difficult for Black law students to envision themselves in

their desired profession. She said Porter’s appointment gives her hope that one day, she will be able to accomplish her goals in the legal field.

“For me as a black woman in the legal industry, that is, I think only between 5% to 6% Black, [seeing appointments like Porter’s is] like the little sliver of hope that I think sometimes I need to feel like I belong and I am not just getting swept away with the tide,” Oliver said. “I'm able to make my own statement and have my own career and make my own personal landmarks that don't have to necessarily follow the grain of my white counterparts, or maybe the more traditional corporate law path.”

Mate said Porter’s appointment “is a proud moment for DePaul.” He said that though students sometimes have a hard time seeing themselves as professionals in the legal industry, appointments like these, from people who went to their college, encourages them to dream more.

“When law students see one of their own alumni, in this case, a woman of color, achieving this success, it can inspire them by highlighting a pathway toward a successful legal career, and that in the future they too could get appointed to judicial positions and make an impact in public service,’” Mate said.

Mate said this appointment is a push in the right direction, not only for the encouragement of students in law school, but for the equal representation of people across the board in Illinois.

“We often underestimate the importance of a diverse judiciary,” Mate said. “Diversity isn't just something we do to check off boxes. Diversity matters because it can improve judicial decision making, and if public institutions don't reflect the demographics of our communities, then the legitimacy of our institutions starts to be questioned.”

For Black students who are interested in pursuing law, students can contact BLSA at depaulblsa@depaul.edu for resources or mentorship. BLSA is hosting an MLK Remembrance Day on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. in the DePaul Center, Oliver said anyone is welcome to attend and lunch will be provided.

SUBMITTED PHOTO | A. TRAUB & ASSOCIATES Chantelle Porter, DePaul College of Law alumna and former A. Traub and Associates family attorney, is the first Black woman appointed to serve as a judge in the 18th judicial circuit.

“When you're trying in front of a jury, it's supposed to be a jury of your peers, because your experiences, your demographic, your sex, gender, age, where you're coming from, it does color."

Melinda Oliver

DePaul Black Law Students Association President and third year College of Law student

Latine organization ‘MESA’ brings sense of community

By Jacqueline Cardenas La DePaulia Editor-in-Chief

“I’m from Perú!” one student said, “My family is from Mexico!” another said with pride.

Rounds of applause and shouts of support echoed inside room 305 of the Latinx Cultural Center as roughly 25 Latine students sat in a circle introducing themselves during Movimiento Estudiantes de Solidaridad y Apoyo’s (MESA) first general body meeting of the year on Jan 12.

Students explained to each other why they came to the meeting. Many of them said they were looking for the same thing—a sense of community.

MESA is a Latine centered cultural organization at DePaul that aims to provide social, professional and academic support to students as well as to help strengthen their cultural roots.

It was founded in February of last year by co-presidents Emily Vallejo and Evelyn Barrios. MESA has nine board members and has since grown its general membership.

Vallejo says she wants Latine students to know that “your opinion is valuable, your presence on campus is super valuable and your experiences are valid.”

As the crowd’s buzzing conversations diminished, the co-presidents announced MESA’s upcoming events.

A “Champurrado y Chisme” event will be held on Jan 19 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m in the Latinx Cultural Center, inside the O'Connell Building.

Also, a screenprinting event will be on Jan 26 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Schmitt Academic Center.

A “Noche Internacional” event will take place on Feb. 9 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Latinx Cultural Center.

Barrios said one of MESA’s goals this year is to “create events that people are really passionate about and will look forward to and will find meaning in.”

Among other announcements, they included their efforts to create a magazine called MESA, featuring Latine artists. The organization also plans to host intramural soccer games Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 p.m. to

11

Vallejo says MESA is returning this year “with more confidence” as general body members appear more receptive, though she still wants to work to keep members engaged.

Flavio Diaz, one of MESA’s Committee Leaders, said the most effective way to communicate with members is through social media and a GroupMe message chat that has accumulated around 100 members.

Diaz said even then, most of the communication happens through word of mouth.

“We can’t communicate with every Latine student at DePaul so a lot of times members will bring their own friends to MESA,” Diaz said.

DePaul junior Vanesa León said she has attended previous MESA meetings and continues to show up because it is difficult to meet other Latine students in her classes as a commuter.

Nearly 20% of DePaul’s students are Hispanic, according to the university’s 2020 enrollment summary.

León said as a first generation student, it can be challenging to navigate college life and professional jobs. She said MESA guides those students who “don’t know where to start.”

MESA is not the only Latine centered student organization at DePaul. There are also groups like Tepeyac, and sororities and fraternities like Gamma Phi Omega.

MESA’s faculty advisor and Latinx Cultural Center Coordinator, Mariela Aranda, said that the organization has brought together graduate and undergraduate students across the university.

“The group has expanded their vision for the impact they can have at DePaul,” Aranda said.

MESA has also extended their outreach to the Latine community in Chicago. They created a clothing drive for migrants being bussed from the Texas-Mexico border last fall.

Students can follow MESA on Instagram @mesa_depaul for event updates.

Diaz said MESA’s mission is to help all Latine students and groups in Chicago.

“We are the future of not only our families but our communities as well,” Diaz said.

JACQUELINE CARDENAS | THE DEPAULIA Shouts of support echoed inside the Latinx Cultural Center as roughly 25 Latine students sat in a circle introducing themselves during MESA's first general body meeting on Jan 12.

JACQUELINE CARDENAS | THE DEPAULIA Evelyn Barrios (left) and Emily Vallejo (right) share their ideas with MESA members during their first general body meeting of the quarter.

p.m, at the Ray Meyer Fitness Center located in DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus.

JACQUELINE CARDENAS | THE DEPAULIA

Latine students have a roundtable discussion about creating a magazine and soccer team.

Jewish Life Center brings support amidst rise in antisemitism

By Lucy Weiher Contributing Writer

Inside the Division of Mission and Ministry department at DePaul University, there are an abundance of offices focused on providing support for people with varying ethnicities, orientations and religious identities.

Located in room 314 of the Lincoln Park Student Center is an office dedicated to offering support to Jewish students at DePaul. The Jewish Life Center, also known as the Jewish Life Space, is a place filled with comfy furniture and snacks where Jewish students and staff, no matter tradition or denomination, are welcome to interact with people of the same faith or heritage.

Approximately ten years ago, the university created the position of DePaul Jewish Life coordinator to keep such a vital resource organized and afloat. Jennifer Goldberg, the current coordinator, took on the role last spring.

“The supportive atmosphere and the mission of the university were important factors in my choosing to come to DePaul University,” she said. “I am available when students want to talk, entering into conversations with care, compassion and creativity.”

Junior Emily Fridland, president of Chabad at DePaul, is one of the students

who utilizes the Jewish Life Center office because of the support she receives from faculty members.

“Jen is always super nice to talk to about Jewish or non-Jewish related things,” she said. “It’s just a really safe, comfortable space to go in when I’m at school.”

Goldberg not only uses her position to provide an outlet to students and staff, but to address relevant issues relating to Jewish life both on and off-campus.

“There are ebbs and flows to the focus of work that include addressing antisemitism and providing a wide range of programs and events within Jewish life and for interfaith populations,” Goldberg said. “With the support of President Manuel, we are addressing antisemitism at all levels through education and action, while simultaneously building opportunities within Jewish Life.”

That being said, the Jewish Life Center offers more laid-back forms of support as well. The space allows students like Fridland to surround themselves and hang out with other Jewish people, as well as providing a quiet area to do schoolwork.

The center also creates an opportunity for those who have not been exposed to Jewish culture to learn about said culture and connect with Jewish people.

“I feel like I can introduce non-Jewish students to Jewish life by just bringing them here,” Fridland said. “I’m a member of one of our two Jewish groups on campus and we almost always meet off-campus so it’s harder for other students to get there or know about it, but I think having a Jewish space on campus allows [us] to let non-Jews know that there is Jewish life on campus.”

Even with a resource like the Jewish Life Center at student’s disposal,, the problems Jewish students face are still present and persistent. Steven Resnicoff, professor

of law and director of Center for Jewish Law and Judaic Studies, detailed just some of the issues Jewish students face.

“There has been an exponential growth of anti-Jewish hatred on college campuses, usually at the hands of students and non-student activists who come onto campus,” Resnicoff said. Jewish students have been viciously and hatefully abused, both verbally and physically.”

A 2021 study by both the Anti-Defamation League and Hillel found that 32% of Jewish college students faced antisemitic attacks, with 31% witnessing these attacks on other students.

Resnicoff highlighted just how important designated spaces are to those facing discrimination and hatred on campus.

“Until the countless forms of oppression that Jewish students experience, inside and outside of the classroom from students and from faculty [are eliminated], I believe that it is extremely important that there be a separate, safe space for them,” he said.

In the face of such hatred, though, those a part of the Jewish Life Center are not suffering in silence.

“Our efforts go beyond mitigating antisemitism; we are looking to stop all forms of hate on campus,” Goldberg said. “While there are no easy solutions, we have amazing student leaders within the community who, I believe, are already making a difference and will continue to do so.”

safety plan this month that includes a universal preschool program, 10,000 apprenticeships for people ages 13 to 25 and new mental health facilities.

“We have somebody here at the table at every level of government, and somehow, when they say that they have urgency, I don't see it,” Green said.

On the topic of education, Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson attacked Vallas on his approach and pointed out his involvement in the privatization of public schools.

Johnson said that even having a conversation with Vallas about public education “is morally bankrupt.”

Since 2019, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) lost 10% of its enrollment, 91% of which come from low income families.

Vallas said in an interview with The DePaulia that the city’s school budget has grown by 22% in the last two years. He believes that the change of the dynamic of schools begins with relocating and repurposing resources.

When the moderators asked questions addressing homelessness, García said he plans to utilize federal funds coming to Chicago through the Infrastructure and Jobs Act to develop the South and West Sides.

“We need to streamline and make it easier for nonprofit developers to build new housing,” he said.

García attacked the mayor’s Invest South/West neighborhood investment plan, an initiative created to aid parts of the city that have been historically disinvested in.

Though Lightfoot’s administration spent millions to invest in these neighborhoods, The Chicago Tribune reported that the mayor “lumped millions of dollars that were already in the works before she took office.”

In recent pollings, just 11% of voters said they would vote for incum -

bent Lightfoot, trailing behind García, Johnson, and Vallas according to a Daily Line news release.

“To some degree, the public persona of Lori Lightfoot is one of sort of this hard nosed politician that doesn't work across the city council lines to get support for things,” said Nick Kachiroubas, associate teaching professor in the School of Public Service.

But not every voter found this persona to be a negative quality as a mayor.

“I didn't come in thinking I would be on Lori’s side, but I am,” said an attendee at the forum who wished to remain anonymous.

“This was a really tough last four

years, and I do think she has done a really good job,” the forum attendee said. “She's tough as nails, and I think you need to be in this setting.”

The forum ended with Marin and Corley asking the candidates what they like about Chicago. Many of the candidates pointed out Chicago’s music, food and entertainment, as well as its notable architecture.

Felicia Davis Blakley, president and CEO of the Chicago Women’s Foundation, said the question was meant to bring hope at the end of a forum filled with tough conversations, though she said the candidates answers “felt empty” and they fell “flat.”

“Those of us that are from Chicago, live in Chicago, born and raised as we say, we want someone that is going to have our back, that’s going to be our cheerleader, no matter what,” Ellens said.

Even though they felt the candidates had unenthusiastic answers, Blakley said she was glad to see the church filled with Chicagoans engaged in the political process.

“It’s an action verb, democracy does not work without the people,” Blakley said.

Early voting for the mayoral elections will begin on February 13 and run through election day, February 28.

MAYOR, continued from front page

ERIN HENZE | THE DEPAULIA

Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks at the Chicago Women Take Action 2023 Mayoral Forum on Saturday. She used a question about the overturning of Roe v. Wade to criticize former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Alderman Sophia King.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL UNIVERSITY Jennifer Goldberg, the current Jewish Life Center coordinator, took on the role last spring.

ERIN HENZE | THE DEPAULIA

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson discusses reproductive rights at the mayoral forum.

Nation & World

Catholic community reflects on controversial Pope Benedict

By Juliet DiPadova Contributing Writer

“God’s Rottweiler,” “The Enforcer,” “Cardinal No and The Hammer.” Former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died on Saturday Dec. 31 at age 95, both embodied and contradicted the connotations of these nicknames through his traditional conservatism and his leadership of a Church to the pursuit of truth.

“Living in Italy and having Rome so close, I remember going to Rome and St. Peter’s Square to see him talk,” said Tommaso Vato, communications coordinator for DePaul’s Campus Ministry. “He was always portrayed as a very, very intelligent person that has studied a lot and that really put God first in anything.”

According to the Vatican’s biography of him, the former pope, whose original name was Joseph Ratzinger, was born in Germany on April 16, 1927 to a traditional family of Catholic farmers.

Growing up under the strict Nazi regime, Ratzinger was conscious of the animosity that existed in Germany towards the Catholic Church and recalled seeing his priest being beaten by Nazis before mass. It was under this upbringing that Ratzinger “received his Christian, human and cultural formation,” writes the biography.

According to the biography, Ratzinger studied philosophy and theology at the University of Munich before climbing through the ranks of the church from theology professor in 1957 to pope in 2005.

“I met the man who became Pope Benedict as Cardinal Ratzinger when I was doing my ministry in Colombia,” said Fr. Memo Campuzano, C.M., Vice President of DePaul’s Mission and Ministry Division, in an email interview. “We were afraid when we heard his name. He was attentive to identify anything that in his view would contradict the traditional teachings of the Church.”

According to Campuzano, the former pope “acted with a heavy hand,” punishing theologians and prohibited the publication of books and teachings that he did not see in alignment with the church.

While remaining a strict guardian of Roman Catholic theology, the former pope attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council which had one heavy task: adapting the traditional Catholic Church to the rapidly

modernizing world it found itself in without losing its integrity.

“He witnessed the most important theological discussions of the church in the past 60 years,” Campuzano said. “He was actively involved in those conversations with his own vision, his own theology and understanding of things.”

His own vision combined scripture with solutions to one of the most serious obstacles facing the 21st century: a lack of truth.

Some of his most notable pursuits of truth include initiating discourse in the Catholic Church about putting an end to sexual abuse, introducing the topic of climate change, and even pursuing his own truth with his resignation in 2013 from the papacy.

Although the former pope made strides to end abuse, several cases did go unnoticed and unpunished under his watch.

According to a statement from Martin Pusch, the attorney of the law firm Westphal

Spilker Wastl that was hired by the church to investigate the abuse, Pope Benedict was accused of failing to act on four cases of

“He pushed the bishops to take action against abusing priests… he did not take action against bishops who did not remove bishops,” William Cavanaugh, DePaul professor of Catholicism and Director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology said in a Zoom interview.

Although Cavanaugh recognizes the lack of mechanism there was for removing abusers, he highlights that Pope Benedict did more than popes prior.

“When he became pope, he took more action against sexual abusers than anybody had previously,” Cavanaugh said.

According to Cavanaugh, the former pope was also known as “The Green Pope” for his emphasis on ecology and was even the first to put solar panels on the Vatican.

“He didn’t just talk about it, he did it.” Cavanaugh said.

The former pope not only pursued truth within the church and within the world, but also within himself when in 2013 he resigned. In his resignation address given on Feb. 11, 2013 on the World Day of the Sick, a Vatican holy day, he stated that due to his age and declining health, he was no longer suited to continue.

It was a complete shock to the world and only over done by four popes in the history of the papacy, the last being Pope Gregory XII in 1415.

“On that day, he opened the door, after 600 years, for the Catholic Church to see the transitory nature of all human leadership,” Campuzano said. “I respect him very much for his resignation from the papacy and for giving space to another vision for the church.”

For the DePaul community, the pursuit of truth is not only applicable to the church however, but also as part of an academic institution.

“I think Pope Benedict was a voice for truth in the world and an advocate that we seek for what’s true and not just for what is convenient or what lines up with our own ideology,” Cavanaugh said. “That doesn’t mean that we need to agree with every stance he took, but for a university to take the pursuit of truth seriously, is something I think Benedict was a tireless advocate for.”

DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the U.S. in terms of enrollment with over 14,000 undergraduate students, yet being in the third-largest city in the country takes on a unique approach to what being Catholic means.

“[Truth] is something that the university should remember because as a Catholic institution, we bring along a Vincentian tradition and help for the other, but also a very long-lasting tradition of academic excellence.” Vato said. “I think that Pope Benedict shows that these two things can go together hand in hand.

sexual abuse.

Roman Catholics around the world mourn the death of former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI following his death on Dec. 31, 2022.

NOEMI BRUZAK | MTI VIA AP

VATICAN MEDIA | ASSOCIATED PRESS

Two priests stand over the casket of the late pope. Benedict XVI was a controversial voice in the conservative Catholic community.

Recognizing parallels between Brasilia and Capitol Hill: Is history repeating itself?

By Alexa Banuelos Contributing Writer

Amid persistent political turmoil in Brazil, thousands of Brazilian insurrectionists stormed the capital, Brasilia, on Jan. 8 in a protest of an alleged stolen election.

With the Brazilian congress and supreme court being out of session in January, insurrectionists were met with minimal resistance.

While the Brazilian riots were fueled by the distrust in the Latin American electoral process, the event bore a lot of resemblance to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection of the U.S. capital.

Succeeding Brazil’s presidential election in October, former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro repeatedly suggested that the 2022 election was rigged.

Over the course of the next 70 days following the election, several of Bolsonaro’s supporters camped out at Brazilian Army headquarters demanding a military coup in protest of the election results.

After meeting no success, several of Bolsonaro’s supporters resorted to storming government buildings in Brasilia as an act of defiance in response to Brazil’s current president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva’s inauguration.

Similarly, the U.S. Capitol Hill riots of Jan. 6, 2021, led by the right-wing extremists in support of Donald Trump, held the same belief that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.

Thousands of rioters surged past Capitol police as they besieged, vandalized and looted the Capitol Building.

With so many similarities between the two uprisings, there has been persistent political rhetoric suggesting that history is repeating itself with the riots in Brazil, hence, posing the question if there is a significant correlation between the two.

“Trump and Bolsonaro share that they are birds of the same-colored feather because they are both authoritarians,” DePaul Latino politics professor Joe Tafoya said. “Authoritarians can’t lose and always blame other people for their problems, they appeal to the side of the public that wants rules and seeks to preserve hierarchies. Like Trump, Bolsonaro claimed there was widespread fraud and didn’t say he would welcome the outcome of the election.”

The political timelines leading up to

the Brazilian insurrection and the U.S. Capitol Hill insurrection tell similar stories of extremist unrest.

“To some degree, these events arise from the same processes — a polarized election, narrow victory by the opposition, defeat of a right-wing president who was known to encourage conspiracy theories and violence,” said Rose Spalding, DePaul professor and interim director for the peace, justice and conflict studies program.

Both insurrections illuminate how politicians’ stigmatization of the electoral process continuously poses a threat to democracy amid the continuous hyperpolarization of the political parties.

As Trump and Bolsonaro continued to fortify election fraud claims, the rioters established their beliefs on misperceptions of the political systems that both democracies are founded on.

This stigmatization of the electoral process is made evidently clear through the rioter’s reliance on social media.

Social media sites such as Twitter have offered a platform for politicians and skeptical voters to reinforce conspiracy and partisan perspectives.

It has also prompted the emergence of the extremist groups responsible for organizing the riots.

“In both countries you have the heavy dependence on social media for “news” and the tendency for people to exist in their information bubbles where false reports of a stolen election abound,” Spalding said.

“It facilitates the leadership coordinating people attending in a huge way,” DePaul political science professor Wayne Steger said. “The social media for a widespread protest is very powerful.”

There are, however, some notable differences between the Brasilia riots and the Capitol Hill riots. The most significant being that, unlike Trump with the Capitol Hill riots, rioters in Brasilia were not backed with the support of former president Bolsonaro.

“This event is different from Jan. 6 because Bolsonaro did not direct the mob,” Tafoya said. “He left the country to Florida just before his successor was inaugurated. In Brazil, there was mass delusion because supporters believed their actions would bring Bolsonaro back. I think he’s checked out.”

In response to the riots, Bolsonaro tweeted, “Peaceful demonstrations, in the form of the law, are part of democracy. However, depredations and invasions

of public buildings as occurred today, as well as those practiced by the left in 2013 and 2017, escape the rule.”

After the incident, Brazilian President Silva signed an emergency decree that enforced the removal of the protest camps and over 1,500 rioters were de -

tained throughout the ongoing investigation of the insurrection.

Several other politicians such as President Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador have joined Silva in expressing their disdain for the violent protests.

Sri Lankan court orders ex-leader to pay victims of bombings

By Krishan Francis Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that inaction by the country’s former president and four others led to Easter Sunday bomb attacks in 2019 that killed nearly 270 people and ordered them to pay compensation for violating the basic rights of the victims and their families.

A seven-judge bench of the top court ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena to pay 100 million rupees ($273,300) from his personal funds.

It also ordered the police chief, two top intelligence officials and the secretary to the ministry of defense at the time to pay a total of 210 million rupees ($574,000).

Two local Muslim groups that had

pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group were accused of carrying out six near-simultaneous suicide bomb attacks targeting worshipers at Easter services at three churches and tourists eating breakfast at three top hotels.

A breakdown in communication caused by a rift between Sirisena and the then prime minister was blamed for the failure of authorities to act on near-specific foreign intelligence received prior to the attacks, which also wounded about 500 people.

The court said Sirisena, who was also defense minister and commander in chief of the armed forces, had not called regular meetings of the national security council and had omitted key personnel from the meetings he held.

“All this is a stark reality that strikes this court as a serious omission on the part of the

then president,” the court said.

“This dismal failure on the part of former President Sirisena resulted in disastrous consequences for this country. Not only were lives lost and properties destroyed, but interracial tension and interethnic hatred began to raise their ugly heads, causing the very fabric of this nation to be broken,” it said.

“The due care with which the minister of defense should have exercised his wide powers in the greater good of the country was totally nonexistent according to the evidence that has been placed before this court,” it said.

A presidential commission earlier recommended criminal procedures against Sirisena for alleged negligence, but it has not been followed up.

The government has prosecuted several

people in connection with the attacks, but leaders of the country’s Catholic church say they suspect a larger conspiracy and are demanding that the leaders be revealed.

LAHIRU HARSHANA | ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Catholic priest consoles a family member of one of the deceased after Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court pronounced judgment on the 2019 bombings.

ERALDO PERES | ASSOCIATED PRESS

Security forces stand guard following violent protests at the Brazilian Capitol building.

@ANTHONY51483709 | TWITTER

Bolsonaro supporters gather in a similar fashion to that of the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

Opinions

Cold city or cold home?

MCKENZIE | THE DEPAU LIA

Students weigh their obligation to go home against the stress it causes

By Jacqueline Bleadon Contributing Writer

As DePaul students, the first thing we learn in college is how to navigate a big city on our own. We very quickly gain this sense of independence that we may have not had previously. This newfound independence can jumpstart the need to create your own life separate from the one you grew up in.

A large portion of the DePaul student body starts to live off-campus right after freshman year. The thought of moving out and into your own place has been implanted in our brains the second we got here.

So when do we stop going home for every break and start creating our own lives? Is it when we want to stop obliging by our parents' rules? Is it when we no longer feel safe enough to return home due to contrasting family politics? Or is it when we finally stop feeling guilty for wanting a different life than the one we grew up in?

For many students, the issue can be a toxic home environment. We commonly hear about this from queer students whose families are not supportive of their sexuality and/or gender identity.

A queer trans sophomore at DePaul, who requested anonymity, used to have a close bond with their big family,

however, the becoming of who this student truly is has caused a ripple in those relationships.

“I miss who those people were for me when I was younger,” they said. “It’s hard seeing the transition of the person who used to pick me up from school to the person who now gossips about my gender.”

The thought of not going back home has been in these students’ minds since they waltzed into their freshman dorm last year. A home filled with gossip about your personal identity is never mentally healthy for anyone. Sometimes we need to be reminded that it is okay to move away from that environment.

Big families, like my own, are bound to have a plethora of political opinions. It is understandable for people to want some time away during the holiday season when, for some reason, all anyone can talk about is politics.

DePaul Sophomore

Sophomore Sara Sampson, ventured to DePaul to escape the small conservative town in Ohio she grew up in.

Sampson, who did not align with her town’s politics, went back for breaks throughout her freshman year, but the second she signed a lease for her own off-campus apartment, she knew those home visits were going to be limited. How do you step away from a secure life with your family at such a young age?

“There’s guilt about ignoring the life I had,” Sampson said. “But I chose DePaul because it wasn’t so far that I couldn’t make it back in less than a day, yet it was far enough to make my own life.”

A common worry is how to fill up your days during break when DePaul goes offline if you are not home with family. Sampson filled up her time by working and thrifting.

The opinions in this section do not reflect those of The DePaulia.

Valentín, has found a good balance between living on his own in the city and occasionally visiting family in the suburbs. Valentín started staying in the city for breaks during his freshman year due to work.

He spent his fall quarter finding people who would be around during his time off to keep him busy.

“If you use your time wisely you always find people who are around,” Valentín said. “I guess the hardest thing is balancing a grocery budget.”

These students have all created opportunities for themselves to explore a more independent life from their families, while still maintaining a relationship with them if they choose to. They are doing what they can to make the life they dreamt up in their head into a reality.

This city can be very intimidating. Change is scary and so is getting older, but how are we supposed to grow if everything always stays the same?

The second you start thinking about wanting to stay in the city can be the second you do. We are in a big city with big opportunities.

It’s okay to have your own life and create a new family in the place you spend your year at. Going home is never a requirement.

Another DePaul student, James

“It’s hard seeing the transition of the person who used to pick me up from school to the person who now gossips about my gender.”

Anonymous

CJ

U-Pass leaves U-stranded

In these circumstances, students rely on public transit to get around. Unfortunately, students’ university U-Passes are deactivated during winter break, leaving them to find their own means of transportation

A great deal of stress for college students stems from financial instability, according to studies. Many deal with food and housing instability, along with tuition and other school fees. The U-Pass guidelines need to be reformed so that transportation is not an additional stressor for students.

The Ventra U-Pass provides the user unlimited rides on the CTA as long as they are enrolled as a full-time student at a participating university. For DePaul, the U-Pass is included in the cost of tuition.

Junior, Game Day Operator Ismail Abdullah, had to stay on campus until Nov. 21 for work in housing.

“For my Game Day Operations job, I typically would take the train using my [U-Pass] to and from there during the quarters,” Abdullah said. “Instead, during break I had to pay for passes.”

Freshman Zucchious Rosal lived in their dorm in the Loop campus for three weeks of winter break.

“I worked during winter break to make ends meet,” Rosal said. “It would have saved me a few dollars to spend on food, but every day I had to take the bus and train. When I got home from work, the process would be the same, train and bus, which totals to $7.50 or $10 every day.”

According to Bob McCormick, DePaul vice president for Information Services, the U-Pass program’s policies are set by the CTA, and participating

schools must abide by them per their contract.

“The CTA contract does not allow for U-Pass to be available between fall and winter quarters,” McCormick said.

Despite this, some students feel that the policy does not take the needs of students into account and consider it to be unfair.

“DePaul students should have access to the U-Pass during winter break,” Rosal said. “I am an immigrant and I am independent. I have no familial support, yet I still want to pursue higher education despite the cost. This could have, at the very least, alleviate some of the stress I personally had to go through every day.”

Additionally, Abdullah and Rosal share the sentiment that the policy makes it difficult for students to find their place in Chicago, something that the university actively encourages. The DePaul website describes the “entire city of Chicago” to be the students’ “college town.”

“I believe all DePaul students should have access to the U-Pass during

the winter break,” Abdullah said. “This will help encourage students to stick around during the winter season to learn more about Chicago culture. Like myself, some students may experience financial struggles with paying for [passes] everyday.”

With schoolwork, costs like living expenses, tuition and food, college students have a lot on their plates. Being cut off from their usual means of transportation is an extreme inconvenience that students should not have to be dealt with. For students like Rosal, one thing is clear: the CTA U-Pass policies desperately need to be updated to fit the needs of students who use them.

“They’re removing access to one of the most frequent modes of transportation for DePaul students? Ridiculous,” Rosal said.

AIDAN HANSEN I THE DEPAU LIA

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Opinions.

The DePaulia.

It is the beginning of the winter quarter, and members of the DePaul community have returned after a long winter break. However, for many, life in Chicago never paused for some. Students who stay in the city and students with on-campus jobs need access to transportation. Due to the U-Passes being shut down, those trying to fulfill their responsibilities face unnecessary difficulty.

Vaulted out

Iconic Wicker Park Walgreens closing

By Violet Smale Staff Writer

With approximately 240 Walgreens stores across Chicago, it may seem strange that people from all corners of the city flock to Wicker Park to take photos inside of one specific location.

The iconic Wicker Park Walgreens occupies the former Noel State Bank Building, an edifice filled with history and stunning architecture at 1601 N. Milwaukee Ave.

The building features three levels, early 20th century light fixtures and an ornate ceiling featuring the building’s original skylight, surprising to anyone expecting your average Walgreens.

Yet, after months of rumors, sight-seers and regular patrons of the Milwaukee Ave. Walgreens were disappointed by the news that the iconic

drug store will be closing its doors for good on Jan. 31.

“We are focused on creating the right network of stores in the right locations to best meet the needs of the communities we serve,” said Marty Maloney, Walgreens’ media relations manager. “We have made the difficult decision to close this location.”

The popular social media destination experienced a sharp influx of visitors hoping to get one final glimpse of the unique interior.

“People come in just to take pictures, especially in the ‘Vitamin Vault,’” said an employee who wished to remain anonymous.

The famed Vitamin Vault is one of the store’s most distinguishing features and lies at the lower level of the store.

The former safe of Noel State Bank is now occupied by rows of vitamins.

Visitors of the Vitamin Vault are just as likely to pose for photos in front of the vault as they are to actu-

ally shop.

“I saw an article on Facebook, and that the store was closing at the end of the month,” a visitor of the Vitamin Vault said.

The visitor and his family posed for photos outside of the vault after wandering the upper levels of the store with camera in hand.

“We usually go to museums, and the aquarium and the zoo, but we saw this on Facebook and wanted to check it out,” the man said. “It’s amazing. I thought ‘Oh my God, it looks better in person!’”

The store has gained traction on TikTok. Its antique interior simply adds excitement to the dreaded errand of a pharmacy run.

“I had first heard about [the Walgreens] when I was living in River North, so I visited it,” said Lucia Cordaro, Chicago-based influencer. “But, then I moved to Wicker Park and now I use it as my go-to pharmacy.”

“Going to Walgreens isn’t the most fun activity in the world, but when it’s made-up in such a cool way, it makes your daily routine a lot more fun,” Cordaro said.

Cordaro also cited “photo culture” as a reason for the store’s spike in popularity.

“There’s a big photo culture, so I think people just enjoy having something cool to take a photo of,” she said.

Cordaro was disappointed to hear about the store’s closure.

“I had no idea they announced they were closing, then some of my [TikTok] followers started tagging me in videos about it, and commenting

like, ‘Oh my God, have you heard?’” she said.

“[These places] add to the neighborhood-y feel to Chicago. It’s something everyone can bond over, and it makes it feel like more of a community,” she said.

Cordaro, like many other Wicker Park residents, is sad to see a gem of the neighborhood go.

“It’s sad,” Cordaro said. “It’s such an iconic part of the neighborhood.”

Cordaro recommended Target on

The State and Madison Target nicknamed “Goth Target” is another iconic chain store located in a historic building.

UNA CLEARY | THE DEPAULIA

“[These places] add to the neighborhood-y feel to Chicago. It’s something everyone can bond over, and it makes it feel like more of a community,

Lucia Corado Chicago Influencer

closing at the end of the month

State St. to anyone searching for a shopping experience similar to that of the Walgreens.

DePaul students may better know this Target by the nickname of “Goth Target.”

Tourists are equally transfixed by the 1899 design of Target at 1 S. State Str., featuring a metal cast entryway and pillars adorned with carvings of flora and fauna stretching floor-to-ceiling throughout the store.

The style of Target is not actually gothic, but rather a style unique to the building’s architect, Louis Sullivan.

Sullivan was commonly known for his architectural principle, “form follows function,” meaning the building’s architecture was specifically catered to its original purpose: to house the department store Carson Pirie Scott.

Goth Target seems to mirror the effect of the Wicker Park Walgreens.

It gives visitors both a photo opportunity and a chance to be immersed in a

historic landmark.

Whether one is visiting Goth Target or the Vitamin Vault with a grocery list or a camera, there is no doubt that visitors can’t help but be transfixed by the living history of Chicago’s iconic architecture.

Caption for headline photo: The former safe of the Noel State Bank is now the distinguished “Vitamin Vault. ” Rows of vitamins and other supplements line the inner walls of the vault.

UNA CLEARY | THE DEPAULIA

Jan. 31st will be the last day customers can visit the store.

UNA CLEARY THE DEPAULIA

UNA CLEARY THE DEPAULIA The store has been a landmark for residents in the Wicker Park neighborhood and beyond for over a decade.

La DePaulia

Las elecciones de midterms de 2022: los latinos son más relevantes que nunca

By Joe R. Tafoya, PhD Ensayo Invitado, La DePaulia

Las elecciones de mitad de período, o Midterms, de 2022 hicieron sentir que la transformación que comenzó en 2020 estaba en ascenso para los votantes latinos.

En las elecciones presidenciales del 2020, la participación de votantes latinos fue la más alta de la historia (53 %, mientras comúnmente es menos del 50 %), pero muchos de los nuevos votos fueron para Donald Trump. En el 2020, el 32 % de los latinos votaron por Trump, lo que supuso un aumento del 3 % con respecto al 29 % de 2016. Uno pensaría que los latinos se habrían sentido impulsados a repudiar a Trump dado el sesgo de su administración y su opinión contra los mexicanos, las redadas de inmigración en todo el país, la política de separación de familias en la frontera y el hecho de que retuvo el auxilio a Puerto Rico después de su desastre natural (a pesar de que todos los puertorriqueños son considerados ciudadanos estadounidenses). Pero la realidad fue que los republicanos lograron avances con los latinos y esto amenazó en gran medida las perspectivas demócratas en 2022.

Los pronósticos previos a las elecciones habían predicho una ola roja: grandes pérdidas demócratas tanto en la Cámara como en el Senado, pero lo que obtuvimos fue más como una pequeña onda. Los republicanos ganaron el control de la Cámara por poco y el Senado permaneció bajo control demócrata. Al final, las victorias demócratas se vieron favorecidas por el voto latino: el 60% de los latinos votaron por los demócratas. Sin embargo,este margen de apoyo fue el más bajo desde el 2004 cuando George W. Bush obtuvo el 40% del voto latino. La proporción de latinos que votaron por los republicanos fue del 39% y es la más alta de cualquier ciclo electoral en los últimos dieciséis años.

Los votantes latinos fueron importantes en las elecciones de mitad de período de 2022 porque los avances republicanos: (1) hicieron que algunas elecciones fueran más competitivas y amenazaron a los demócratas que ya están ocupando un cargo actualmente; (2) sacaron a algunos estados del campo de batalla y los volvieron sólidamente rojos; y (3) trajeron nuevas voces que diversificaron el grupo de latinos elegidos al Congreso. Aunque el Partido Republicano tuvo resultados inferiores a los esperados, con la población latina fueron superiores a los esperados, preparando el escenario para un enfrentamiento con los demócratas por lo que parece ser un voto decisivo emergente en la política estadounidense.

La política estadounidense, por fin, se enfrentó a la diversidad de latinos que viven en Estados Unidos. Todos hemos escuchado el eslogan, “Los latinos no son un monolito” y esto es cierto porque ninguna comunidad latina puede hablar por la totalidad de la demografía. Si desagregamos las comunidades latinas, vemos cómo los republicanos han comenzado a quitarle el apoyo latino a los demócratas.

Antes de las elecciones, los encuestadores vieron que las contiendas por el Senado en Arizona y Nevada iban a depender de lo que hicieran los votantes latinos. Si el Senador Mark Kelly (D-AZ) y la Senadora Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) iban a regresar al cargo y si los demócratas mantenían el control del Senado dependería de si los demócratas podían movilizar suficientes latinos; y esto no parecía seguro. Los republicanos tocaron puertas e hicieron

llamamientos personales, a menudo en español. “Operación ¡Vamos!” informó haber contactado a 300,000 votantes hispanos solo en Nevada y 1,4 millones en nueve estados, incluidos Arizona, Colorado y Florida. La estrategia republicana consistía en entrar en áreas demócratas latinas y eliminar suficientes latinos para ganar cargos en todo el estado. Los republicanos buscaban mejorar sus márgenes a partir del 2020 lo que mantendría la carrera competitiva y pondría en peligro a los demócratas.

Que los demócratas se encontraran en una situación desesperada en Arizona y Nevada, fue una gran sorpresa porque los latinos se habían convertido en un pilar para los partidos demócratas en esos estados. En el 2010, la movilización masiva en Arizona contra la SB1070, una ley contra la inmigración que fomentó discriminación racial, hizo que los latinos fueran elegidos para cargos estatales y triunfó el movimiento por la matrícula estatal para estudiantes inmigrantes. En Nevada, la senadora CortezMasto, sucesora del senador Harry Reid, fue la primera latina electa al Senado con un fuerte respaldo del Sindicato de Trabajadores Culinarios del estado. Sin embargo, las contiendas expusieron que el Partido Demócrata tuvo problemas para conectar con los votantes de la clase trabajadora: los candidatos demócratas eran vulnerables a ser acusados de estar ‘too woke’, ‘demasiado despiertos’, en temas sociales y no sabían cómo manejar el aumento del costo de vida debido a la inflación. Los demócratas también tenían un problema con Cortez-Masto, quien no hablaba español y algunos votantes no sabían su nombre completo, simplemente llamándola ‘La Senadora’, mientras que ella argumentaba que era ‘una de las nuestras.’

Al final, los demócratas ganaron por poco en Arizona y Nevada. Las inversiones monetarias dieron fruto. En Arizona, los demócratas gastaron más que nunca en anuncios en español, $20 millones. La cifra empequeñece los $1.5 millones que los republicanos gastaron en anuncios en español, sin embargo el acto representa una desviación del viejo libro de jugadas: los republicanos tomaron medidas para incorporar a los latinos como nunca antes. En Nevada, Cortez-Masto ganó el 62% del voto latino, dejando al Partido Republicano con cerca del 40%. Esto asegura que Nevada seguirá siendo un estado en contienda y los demócratas deben reevaluar cómo inspirar y movilizar a los latinos para las elecciones presidenciales del 2024.

Los latinos estuvieron en el centro de dos grandes pérdidas demócratas para las elecciones de mitad de período de Florida y

Texas.

El Partido Demócrata tiene un gran problema en estas áreas: los latinos pueden ser susceptibles al atractivo populista de los conservadores al estilo de Donald Trump.

Ron DeSantis fue reelegido como gobernador y fue la mayor victoria republicana de la noche. Se le ha descrito como ofreciendo el vitriolo de Trump sin nada de equipaje. Además de eso, DeSantis está liderando la carga contra la llamada ‘ideología woke’ al oponerse a los procedimientos de afirmación de género, las mujeres transgénero en los deportes femeninos, y la enseñanza de la teoría crítica de la raza en las escuelas públicas. Sus esfuerzos están siendo apreciados por latinos de tendencia derechista. En el 2018, DeSantis perdió votos latinos en un 10 %, pero ahora la mayoría lo apoya. Recientemente, DeSantis patrocinó vuelos que reubicaron a inmigrantes venezolanos de San Antonio, TX a Martha’s Vineyard, MA. El 50% de los latinos de Florida informaron que apoyaban los vuelos de migrantes del gobernador. Existe el sentimiento entre algunos de los latinos inmigrantes legales en Florida de que los inmigrantes que cruzan ilegalmente la frontera lo están haciendo mal y deben ser castigados.

La desinformación que fluye libremente en los medios de comunicación en español está trabajando en contra de los latinos en Florida. Comenzó cuando el Partido Republicano publicó anuncios que comparaban a Biden con Fidel Castro y Hugo Chávez, a los que los demócratas no respondieron en el 2020. En 2022, las teorías de conspiración sobre el fraude electoral, el movimiento de BLM y las políticas progresistas como el “Green New Deal” son comunes. Tambien está Americano Media, una red conservadora en español en Florida que difunde la teoría de la conspiración nacionalista blanca llamada ‘El Gran Reemplazo’. Según Leo Fernandez de Mediamatters.org, los locutores de radio en español están difundiendo la idea supremacista blanca de que los inmigrantes son traídos a los EE. UU. con el propósito de saturar el electorado con personas que votarán por los demócratas.

El gobernador de Texas, Gregg Abbott, también logró la reelección por amplios márgenes, superando al demócrata Beto O’Rourke por casi un millón de votos. Los demócratas de Texas tenían mucho trabajo por delante para movilizar votantes: cuatro millones de latinos de Texas se mantuvieron al margen en las elecciones de 2020. Otros 2 millones eran elegibles, pero no estaban registrados para votar. En todo el estado, los demócratas ganaron 2 de 3 escaños en

el Congreso en contiendas reñidas a lo largo de la frontera. Pero el tercero fue para una republicana latina llamada Mónica De La Cruz, quien llamó la atención en la campaña electoral alabando a Dios, invocando a la cantante Selena y atacando el término ‘latinx’. Ella argumentó efectivamente que los demócratas han dado por sentado a los votantes latinos, y les dijo a sus partidarios que los demócratas no respetan la cultura latina con políticas progresistas. Su atractivo llegó a los latinos que son principalmente rurales, descendientes lejanos de inmigrantes, no hablan español y prefieren el término ‘tejano’ a latino o mexicano. Estos son los latinos que le costaron a los demócratas de Texas una victoria estatal.

Uno pensaría que las muertes causadas por la falla de la red eléctrica de Texas y el tiroteo en la Escuela Uvalde promovería un disgusto por parte de la población latina a los republicanos, pero Abbott ganó 40% del apoyo de esta. Los latinos en Texas escuchan a los republicanos cuando dicen que los demócratas están más preocupados por Washington que por Texas. Este llamado también se usa con los votantes blancos. Es una sorpresa para los demócratas que también funcione con los latinos. Los demócratas simplemente carecen de la infraestructura para entender a los latinos en Texas como lo hacen en Florida. Es necesario que haya una participación sostenida de los votantes durante años de trabajo de base para que los demócratas recuperen la credibilidad ahí.

Estas elecciones también fueron un hito para los votantes latinos porque más latinos que nunca fueron elegidos para el Congreso. En la Cámara de Representantes hay 50 latinos demócratas y 33 republicanos. La representación descriptiva de las personas de color es importante, ya quelos legisladores latinos y afroamericanos están involucrados en la supervisión de cuestiones de equidad racial. La representación latina es la herramienta ideal para que las voces latinas se escuchen y tengan efecto en los resultados de las políticas. Con ese fin, la clase más grande de latinos que van al Congreso representará a diversas comunidades latinas. Como resultado, la narrativa de lo que significa ser latino se ampliará con implicaciones para la democracia.

Tomemos, por ejemplo, a Maxwell Frost, elegido de Florida. Tiene 25 años y es el primer miembro de la Generación Z en ser elegido para el Congreso, donde la edad promedio es de 53 años. También es un demócrata que descubrió cómo ser elegido con Ron DeSantis como candidato a gobernador. Hay una lección que los demócratas deben aprender aquí. Frost también es de origen afrocubano, lo que significa que se diferencia de los cubanoamericanos, quienes tienen sus orígenes en Castro y el Partido Republicano. Además, considere a Robert García, quien fue elegido en California y es un inmigrante peruano que se identifica como LGBTQ. También trae a la mesa la experiencia ejecutiva capaz de ser el ex alcalde de Long Beach, CA. A nivel local, Delia Ramírez se convirtió en la primera latina electa al Congreso de Illinois por el lado noroeste de Chicago y los suburbios del oeste. Su campaña de alcance a los votantes mostró la ética de trabajo de la que todos los latinos pueden estar orgullosos. Estos latinos leyeron el manual sobre cómo ser elegidos y lo están reescribiendo para pavimentar la vía hacia una democracia verdaderamente multirracial.

AIDAN HANSEN | LA DEPAULIA

La organización latine ‘MESA’ brinda un sentido de comunidad a los estudiantes de DePaul

By Jacqueline caRDenas Jefa de Redacción, La DePaulia

“¡Soy de Perú!” un estudiante dijo, “¡Mi familia es de México!” dijo otro con orgullo.

Rondas de aplausos y gritos de apoyo resonaron dentro del salón 305 del Centro Cultural Latinx cuando cerca de 25 estudiantes latines se sentaron en un círculo para presentarse durante la primera reunión general del año del Movimiento Estudiantes de Solidaridad y Apoyo (MESA) el 12 de enero.

Mientras platicaban entre ellos, con sus mochilas junto a sus asientos, parecían como un grupo de viejos amigos. Se podía sentir en el aire que todos estaban se sentían un poquito más cercanos a un hogar casa al estarndo en este espacio.

Los estudiantes explicaron unos a otros por qué vinieron a la reunión. Muchos de ellos dijeron que buscaban lo mismo: un sentido de comunidad.

MESA es una organización cultural centrada en latines en DePaul que tiene como objetivo brindar apoyo social, profesional y académico a los estudiantes y ayudar a fortalecer sus raícesraiíces culturales.

Fue fundada en febrero del año pasado por las co-presidenteas Emily Vallejo y Evelyn Barrios. La junta de MESA está compuesta por nueve miembros y desde entonces ha aumentado su membresía general.

Vallejo dice que quiere que los estudiantes latines sepan que “su opinión es valiosa, su presencia en el campus es muy valiosa y sus experiencias son válidas”.

A medida que disminuían las animadas conversaciones de la multitud, los copresidentes anunciaron los próximos eventos de MESA.

Un evento de “Champurrado y Chisme” se llevará a cabo el 19 de enero de 4:30 p.m. a 6:30 pm en el Centro Cultural Latinx, dentro del Edificio O’Connell.

También está “Mesa y Arte”, en este caso

centrado en serigrafía, será el 26 de enero de 4 p.m. a 5 p.m. en Schmitt Academic Centeren el Centro Académico Schmitt.

Un evento de “Noche Internacional” tendrá lugar el 9 de febrero de 5 p.m. a 6 p.m. en el Centro Cultural Latinx.

Evelyn Barrios dijo que uno de los objetivos de MESA este año es “crear eventos que a la gente le apasionen, y que anhelen y en los que encuentren significado”.

Entre otros anuncios, incluyeron sus esfuerzos para crear una revista con el mismo nombre, MESA, junto con artistas latines. La organización también tiene previsto organizar partidos de fútbol intrauniversitariosintrauniversitáriosmuros los lunes y martes de 9 de la tarde a las 11 p.m, en el Ray Meyer Fitness Center ubicado en el campus de Lincoln Park de DePaul.

Vallejo dice que MESA regresa este año “con más confianza”, puesya que los miembros del cuerpo general parecen más receptivos, aunque todavía quiere trabajar para mantener a los miembros comprometidos.

Flavio Díaz, uno de los líderes del comité de MESA, comentadijo que la forma más efectiva de comunicarse con los miembros es a través de las redes sociales y un chat de mensajes de la plataforma GroupMe, el cual ya que ha acumulado alrededor de 100 miembros.

Díaz dijo que incluso que laque entonces, la mayor parte de la comunicación ocurre de voz a voz.

“No podemos comunicarnos con todos los estudiantes latinos en DePaul, por lo que muchas veces los miembros traen a sus propios amigos a MESA”, dijo Díaz.

Vanesa León, estudiante de tercer año de DePaul, dijo haberque ha asistido a reuniones anteriores de MESA y continúa asistiendo porque es difícil conocer a otros estudiantes latinos en sus clases, debido a no estarya que no viviendoe en las residencias

estudiantiles.

Casi el 20% de los estudiantes de DePaul son hispanos, según el resumen de inscripción de 2020.

León dijo que, como estudiante de primera generación, puede ser un desafío navegar por la vida universitaria y la vida laboral después del grado. Ella dijo que MESA guía a todos aquellos estudiantes quienesque “no saben por dónde empezar”.

MESA no es la única organización de estudiantes latines en DePaul. También hay grupos como Tepeyac, y hermandades y fraternidades como Gamma Phi Omega.

Todos los estudiantes pueden seguir a MESA en Instagram como: @mesa_depaul para más actualizaciones de eventos.

La asesora docente de MESA y coordinadora del Centro Cultural Latinx, Mariela Aranda, menciona quemencionadijo que la organización ha reunido a estudiantes de

pregrado y posgrado de toda la universidad.

“El grupo ha ampliado su visión del impacto que pueden tener en DePaul”, dijo Aranda.

MESA también ha extendido su alcance a la comunidad latina en Chicago. Crearon una colecta de ropa para los inmigrantes que fueron transportados en autobús desde la frontera entre Texas y México el otoño pasado.

Los estudiantes pueden seguir a MESA en Instagram como: @mesa_depaul para más actualizaciones de eventos.

Díaz dijo que la misión de MESA es ayudar a todos los estudiantes y grupos latinos en Chicago.

“Somos el futuro de no solo de nuestras familias sino también de nuestras comunidades”, dijo Díaz.

La muerte de Pelé impacta a la comunidad futbolística en DePaul

By Sam Gutterman Escritor Contribuyete, La DePaulia

El 29 de diciembre, la comunidad mundial del fútbol perdió a uno de sus mayores íconos, poco después de que terminara la Copa del Mundo. El futbolista brasileño Edson Arantes do Nascimento, comúnmente conocido por los aficionados al fútbol como “Pelé”, murió a los 82 años debido a una falla multiorgánica luego de estar luchando luchar contra el cáncer de colon desde septiembre de 2021.

Al crecer en Brasil, Pelé aprendió sobre el fútbol de su padre y firmó con el Santos Football Club en junio de 1956. Esto impulsó su carrera, ya que fue llamado a la selección brasileña a los 17 años y ganó la Copa del Mundo de 1958, convirtiéndose en el jugador más joven. enpara ganar el torneo hasta la fecha. Pelé también ganó la Copa del Mundo en 1962 y 1970, y es el único jugador que la ha ganado tres veces.

En esos 14 partidos totales de la Copa del Mundo, marcó 12 goles. Después de jugar en Santos durante casi 19 años, Pelé se retiró de su club en el 1974, aunque regresaba de vez en cuando para jugar con ellos en partidos importantes. En 1975 salió de ese “semi-retiro” para venir a jugar en el New York Cosmos de Estados Unidos hasta el 1977. El total de goles que anotó Pelé en su carrera es debatido, pero la mayoría de las fuentes ponenacuerdo el número oficial ens 778.

Pelé fue una figura impactante para una amplio rangoa gama de fanáticos del fútbol, incluido el equipo de fútbol de DePaul. Su habilidad sigue resonando

entre jugadores y fanáticos hasta el día de hoy.

El jugador de fútbol masculino de segundo año de DePaul, Gandhi Cruz, dijo que el legado de Pelé fue una de las razones por las que se metió en el fútbol y recuerda haber descubierto quién era cuando era niño.

“Trataría de encontrar cualquier videoclip que pudiera encontrar de él”, dijo Cruz.

El estilo de juego “elegante” de Pelé, como su rápida facilidad para pasar el balón a través depor encima de su los defensores y anotar goles, lo llevó a ser reconocido y conocido como uno de los mejores jugadores de fútbol del mundo.

El jugador de fútbol masculino y estudiante de segundo año de DePaul, Santiago Dávila, dijo que Pelé fue la primera superestrella en el deporte.

“Cuando veo sus mejores momentos, es genial ver cómo comenzó a revolucionar el juego”, dijo Dávila.

“Siempre fue conocido como la estrella solo porque siempre sacaba trucos y cosas de la bolsa que no mucha gente haría en el campo”. mencionó Dávila.

La muerte de Pelé también hizo que los jugadores afectados reflexionaran y se dieran cuenta de lo que realmente significó para el fútbol y su comunidad.

“Cuando sucedió [su muerte], simplemente me senté y pensé en el impacto que tendrá en la comunidad futbolística en general”, dijo Dávila. “Creo que si nunca hubiera jugado en los Estados Unidos, el deporte no habría avanzado tanto como antes”.

Pelé también ayudó a allanar el camino para los jugadores de color.

El profesor asistente de comunicación deportiva de DePaul, Vincent Peña, dijo que Pelé influyó en el juego y brindó representación a niños y jugadores de fútbol de todo el mundo.

“Él estaba dominando en la cancha de fútbol, venciendo a países europeos como un hombre negro en los años 50, 60 y 70 y eso no puede ser ignorado porque no solo un par de décadas antes de eso, estábamos rompiendo la barrera del color en nuestras propias ligas”, dijo Peña.

La muerte de Pelé justo después de la Copa del Mundo golpeó duramente a la comunidad futbolística debido a su influencia en el juego. Para muchos es trágico que ya no juegue en el campo.

“Cuando dices su nombre, evoca lo mejor que el deporte tiene para ofrecer, como Michael Jordan o LeBron

o alguien como Serena [Williams]”, dijo Peña. “Tiene mucha importancia, especialmente alguien como él que hizo el juego o al menos se le atribuye haber hecho que el juego sea internacional”.

El dominio y la popularidad internacional de Pelé, junto con su llegada a los Estados Unidos al final de su carrera, hicieron del fútbol undeporte mas popular aquí de lo que era en el pasado.

El estatus icónico de Pelé y su papel en hacer del fútbol el deporte que es hoy dejó a la gente afligida cuando murió, pero la tristeza desbordante en todo el mundo muestra cuán grande e influyente fue realmente. Hizo un impacto en el mundo y sus propios éxitos pasados, además de inspirar a aquellos que vinieron después de él, seguirán viviendo.

“Hizo cosas con la pelota que nadie había visto hacer antes en la cancha de fútbol”, dijo Dávila.

JACQUELINE CARDENAS | LA DEPAULIA

Los estudiantes latines se presentan unos a otros. Muchos de ellos dijeron que estaban buscando un sentido de comunidad.

SIN CRÉDITO | AP

Pelé haciéndo una ‘chilena’ en un partido amistoso contra Bélgica en Septiembre de 1968.

Arts & Life

WINTER FASHION

What are DePaul students wearing this winter?

By Jonah WeBer Asst. Arts & Life Editor

Students are not only settling into their winter quarter classes but their Chicago winter fashion as well. There are lots of great looks on DePaul’s campuses and there are some fantastic aspects of the outfits to take notes on for the winter. Just because you’ve got to wear lots of layers, doesn’t mean you can’t stay fashionable.

Making their way through the Loop campus, Dessi Lang can be seen dressed fashionably and prepared for the cold. Lang, a junior majoring in experience design, explained how their outfit comes together for an average winter day in Chicago.

“I don’t really like piling on too many layers, so [I go with] a tank top and then a flannel,” Lang said. “It’s simple and when I take off my winter coat I can have that on. For my shoes, they protect me from the cold, fur lined on the inside. And joggers, they’re always good.”

Lang continued, explaining how they dress for the winter and gave a great tip, which is to not forget accessories.

dangling ones, and shiny jew elry,” Lang said. “Some thing that pops. You know with winter cloth ing you’re always bun dling up and I still want some

type of flare.”

Lang also wore large headphones, which are great for the winter, because they can double as earmuffs.

In the Loop’s student center, sitting relaxed and well-styled while they enjoyed a meal, sat sophomore Savannah Romero.

They jumped right into explaining their vintage, somewhat skater-esque outfit that works perfectly for Chicago’s winter.

One specific thing that they had in common with Lang was not to sleep on accessorizing in the winter.

“I have these rings, I’m obsessed with jewelry,” Romero said. “Most of the jewelry I’m wearing is matching with my girlfriend. This heart chain necklace is hers. I have this knitted-cat hat, I am really digging a lot of hats right. And I really like the color, I’m into very dark tones and I like to have some sort of contrast in my outfits. And I have this belt I also thrifted! I like to have the belt hanging around the front a little bit, it adds a little difference.”

Keeping the focus on Romero,

thrifted from my neighborhood thrift store. I’ve got some Jack Skeleton socks. And some high-top Converse, can’t go wrong with Converse.”

The sweater that Romero is wearing is a vintage, knit sweater with intercite patterns in blue, green, and purple.

Another key detail in this outfit is the clean cuff on the corduroy pants, which allow the very emo Nightmare Before Christmas socks to be seen by all, as they should be.

Romero also shared some advice for anyone new to Chicago and wanting to dress warm, but still look good.

“Layer!” Romero said. “Layering is so fun. I love to wear vests with sweaters or vests. And jackets, like trench coats. Don’t let the weather restrict what you wanna wear.”

Jaret Ledford, a freshman art media and design major is the epitome of dressing fashionably, comfortably and warm in the winter. Take a close look at the details in their outfit.

Ledford explained how they got dressed for this winter day.

“Well I’ve got some thrifted pants on,” Ledford said. “Just some classic khaki cargos with some camo. And I’ve got my Kermit the Frog racer jacket on, one of my all time favorites.”

They also had layered necklaces on, as well as some chunky headphones, which all perfectly complemented their fit.

The advice that Ledford had for staying warm and looking good was simple.

“Layers are number one,” Ledford said. “Definitely a good jacket, and a cool hat and gloves.”

Ledford makes an excellent point with having a good, staple jacket. Even a bold, loud winter coat can spice up a winter outfit.

JONAH WEBER| THE DEPAULIA

JONAH WEBER | THE DEPAULIA

Ledford sports a vintage lettermen Kermit the Frog jacket in the Loop Barnes and Noble.

Freshman Jaret Ledford accessorizes their winter outfit with jewelry and headphones.

JONAH WEBER | THE DEPAULIA Dessi Lang's jewerly shines through their winter fit.

JONAH WEBER | THE DEPAULIA Romero wears a mix of their own and their girlfriend's jewerly, along with a knit sweater.

JONAH WEBER | THE DEPAULIA Savannah Romero wears a knit cat hat while sitting in Loop Dining Hall.

look at the whole of DePaul's history and immediately some names just leap out at you right away."

Starting in 2016, the more than seven-year project kicked off with contributions from students in Elder's creating murals class.

The project gradually grew, acquiring help from individuals inside and outside the DePaul community.

"Murals is what I do,” Elder said. “My main output in art is to do community supported public art, so the pillars, the big Vinny and other murals that I've done were always through the focus of having a community dialogue.”

The process of choosing who and what to put on each pillar was settled through an open discussion between the university, Elder and DePaul's vibrant community. However, Elder knew from the beginning he needed to highlight even lesser-known figures for individuals to understand DePaul's history.

"We have a pillar there for the first lay woman graduate of DePaul," Elder said. "She was teaching at the age of 16 back in the 1880s, but she wanted more for herself, and the only place that would let her do it in 1912 was DePaul."

Throughout Elder's 28 years at DePaul, he has created several iconic murals, like his 2001 portrait of St. Vincent de Paul on McCabe Hall titled "We Are DePaul 2." However, Elder's talent is not restricted stateside. His mural, "The Vincentian Family: The Gleaners," resides in the Vincentian headquarters in Rome.

On top of the 25 pillars, Elder hand-painted 17 basketballs, each holding a variation of their pillar design. The ball dedicated to Joe Wilhoit, who made it to Major League Baseball as a player after graduating from DePaul in the early 1900’s, includes a miniature portrait of Wilhoit accompanied by baseballs and cleats. After the exhibit ends, the basketballs will be given to the families of the individuals honored in the pillars.

"The notion of a painted basketball is kind of curious," Elder said with a laugh. "I harken it to the notion of a basketball award given to one of the basketball players… The basketball itself is symbolizing something valued on a high level for the DePaul community because that's how we look at basketball as an activity because of its history."

While "The Little School Under the L" may have just reached completion, it has already impacted students at DePaul.

"I was in Brother Mark's internship class like a year ago, and he mentioned that he normally does a mural class in the spring, which was the reason I signed up for an art major this fall," said senior Meg Sampson.

Soon after, Sampson found herself directly involved with the project.

"[Elder] was mentioning that because of the timing of it, he wasn't offering [his

creating murals class] and I was super bummed about that," Sampson said. "But then he mentioned that he was thinking of recruiting a few students to work with it, and just based on expression alone he asked me if I would be interested."

Over 100 students aided in the mural's creation. However, some students, such as senior Tayvia Ridgeway, found themselves more engaged than others.

"I started [with the murals] all the way in my freshman year,” Ridgeway said. “When I first came to DePaul and enrolled in Discover classes, I was initially in a dif-

ferent one, but then I saw there was an option for murals around Chicago and I knew that was the perfect thing for me.”

Despite Elder's Chicago art and mural-centric class being full by the time Ridgeway discovered it, she immediately reached out to Elder and asked to join.

"Since then, I've worked with him helping install the murals, helping him paint them over the summer and prep for them," Ridgeway said. "I basically did it every year since my freshman year, and then he finally gave me a chance to do the final mural for the whole pillar installation. That was really like a great, great honor."

Titled "End of Trail," Ridgeway's pillar colorfully commemorates the names of everyone involved with the project and its themes of memorialization, mission, as well as her own background as a black woman native to Chicago.

Despite spending over a thousand hours working on the mural, when asked about her favorite memory from the project, her answer remained close to home.

"I feel like just working in the studio with Brother Mark is something I won't forget," Ridgeway said. "My grandfather actually, he used to do art and I didn't really have that connection with him … he did pass [away] earlier on. And I feel like Brother Mark is kind of that relationship to me now, of doing art and being that figure in my life, and it means so much to me."

While "Behind the Pillars" may only be in the Richardson gallery until March 9, Elder, alongside his students, has high hopes that "The Little School Under the L" will stand tall for the uncharted years to come.

Jessica Freeman chats with Brother Mark Elder at the Richardson Art Gallery in the Lincoln Park Library. Elder has been with DePaul for 28 years and his work can be seen all over campus.

"The Little School Under the L" nickname derives from DePaul's placement under the train tracks.

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA "Behind the Pillars" is open until March 9.

ARTIST, continued from front

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

Elder hand-painted 17 basketballs showcasing, various aspects of the University's history, including people, places and organizations.

'RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE' OFF TO A FIERCE START

By nadia Carolina hernandez Print Managing Editor

No one could have prepared me for the premiere of Season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I was screaming from beginning to finish by the talent show, critiques and the first porkchop who sashayed away. I’ll be writing weekly about my views on each episode, so stay tuned for the tea!

MTV released an hour long “Meet the Queens” sit down to get to know the racers a little better before the premiere. Contestants were asked about who they are, what they do and why they deserve to be the next Drag Race superstar.

Immediately, I was drawn to Salina Estitties, Irene Dubois and TikTok stars Sugar and Spice. Estitties personality drew me in with her “chola” realness and Dubois for her galactic inspirations.

You could have fooled me by saying Sugar and Spice being the same person, but no, the first ever twins are competing on Drag Race. The twins are famous on TikTok for their transformations and doll-inspired looks. During the premiere, the pair admitted they had not done many live performances or shows which made me wonder what they were going to be like during the challenges.

RuPaul decided to split the 16 queens into groups of two before joining them together. I could not believe

that the first group got to meet guest judge Ariana Grande one-on-one while the others didn’t. I cannot lie that Grande’s Werk Room entrance in homage to Vivacious wardrobe malfunction where she struggled to unzipper her costume to reveal herself had me burst out laughing.

For the mini challenge, both teams completed a photoshoot while either a fan was blowing random objects into their face or a car wash with water spraying them in the face. I mention this only because Spice taking off her wig and replacing it with a shower cap was a poor choice. I felt myself cringing because she was saying how rebellious she was, but even RuPaul was visibly perplexed.

Things started to heat up after the two groups joined together for the talent show rehearsals. I personally started to notice how hilarious Mistress Isabelle Brooks was when she was making jabs at the choreography. I felt for baby queen Marcia Marcia Marcia being ignored when she tried to input choreography advice. Everyone was stressed to stand out.

I’m going to get straight to the point and say Anetra’s talent show will go down in “herstory” as one of the best performances ever. She is already breaking records for most-watched act. The judges and queens could not hold in their surprise and adoration the entire time on stage. I have watched Anetra’s talent show daily since the premiere.

'Broker' Review: Found family in morally gray places

By Claire TWeedie Staff Writer

What one may expect to be an incredibly taxing drama about human trafficking is actually the oddest family roadtrip movie you need to see.

“Broker,” a Korean film released on Dec. 26 in select theatres, is nothing like the dark themes of abandonment and belonging it relies on, yet it captures the same depth and intimacy.

An encapsulating success from the very start, “Broker” is at its core a scenic drive through truths of morality, motherhood and family dynamics.

The movie follows two misguided brokers, Sang-hyeon and Dong-soo, played by Song Kang-ho and Gang Dong-Won respectively, who sell orphaned infants to wealthy couples unable to go through the legal channels of adoption.

Song is most prominently known for his lead role in the 2019 Academy Award winning movie “Parasite.”

When the mother of an abandoned infant reappears, the trio must work together in search of a suitable home for the child, building a makeshift family of their own along the way.

Meanwhile, their crime-addled pasts catch up to them in the form of two police officers trying to make their big arrest.

The most interesting part of the movie is its complex themes of morality, belonging and family.

Writer and director Hirokazu Koreeda did an incredible job making a harrowing subject matter much more

palatable and even sweet at times.

There is no mistaking that a plot focused on two men selling children for money is an awfully dark starting point, yet there is so much care and nuance embedded throughout that it is almost easy to ignore the crimes being committed on-screen.

“Broker” is simultaneously a fascinating character study and a psychological experiment on the audiences’ perception of the characters’ morals.

The score, written by Jung Jae-il, is a dramatic yet calming addition to the film’s inherent sorrows.

For a movie with so many landscapes and wide shots, the music carries viewers from one scene to another without breaking the sentimental narrative in action.

Just like the rest of the film, it was a devastatingly beautiful addition to an already intricate story.

No movie is perfect, and “Broker” did have a few setbacks.

The pacing was slow and predictable, and while the humor sprinkled throughout did help to alleviate this, it still felt hard to engage with during long periods of minimal action.

The dialogue was incredibly impactful, but there were moments it tried too hard to be artsy, resulting in cheesy lines that broke the audiences’ belief in the hard-hitting truths the script tried to convey.

Despite the dialogue’s occasional slip, it somehow remains one of the best aspects of the film, breaking hearts and lifting spirits as the viewer is taken

She proved to be one of the strongest competitors with her lip synch, stunt and runway look. Her win in this episode was totally deserved.

Sasha Colby’s lip sync to “Zombie” had me enchanted. As one of the older queens, her experience in live performance set her apart from others who chose to do the same. Jax had me screaming when she revealed her hair to be her jump rope and proceeded to do repeated back flips in heels.

Luxx Noir London, Estitties and Brooks lip syncs perfectly showed who they were and did not come to play. Marcia Marcia Marcia also shocked us with her comedy dance performance. I wish I could have watched the entirety. Not everyone shined this time around. Dubois had people waiting for a punchline in her campy comedy act. I don’t think I laughed once for her but at her when everyone was roasting her in the confessionals. Mayari told us she was a dance queen, but her choreo did not stand out with a K-Pop song. Princess Poppy’s lip sync comedy routine was also extremely disappointing because it was not funny at all.

Ultimately, Amethyst and Dubois were at the bottom. I was rooting for Dubois with her uniqueness, but she was out lip synced by her counterpart. Although it may have been an early exit, Dubois' performance was so bad I’m sure I’ll see it in a Ms. Mojo video soon.

So far, this season is a battle be-

tween the young, social media driven queens and traditional performance queens. I’m eager to see how much live performance and social media experience will play into how well everyone does in the challenges. I can’t say a top four yet, but check in next week for my picks.

along for the ride.

The most moving scenes were the conversations between Dong-soo and So-young, played by Lee Ji-eun, who portrayed the characters’ vulnerability by making their lines feel raw with emotion while guarded with distrust.

Nothing is said without intent and every word spoken digs a little deeper into your heart.

Sang-hyeon and Dong-soo may be the main characters, but the movie is truly So-young’s story, and Lee’s performance reflects this idea.

She mastered the complexity of her character and the difficulties in her relationship with others, crafting a role you cannot help but empathize with despite the mistakes haunting her past.

Lee will take your breath away while

making you question everything you like about her.

For all of the genres this movie could have been — high stakes heist, intense drama, heartfelt thriller — it was still nothing but perfect.

All of the cheerful, bright elements at play turn the dark lens focused on humanity’s incessant need to belong into a lighthearted take on the found-family trope.

“Broker” is a must-see movie, even if it is just to add another international film to your Letterboxd.

It is a soft portrayal of hard truths, many of which you might benefit from hearing.

CREDIT TO @ RUPAULSDRAGRACE ON INSTAGRAM

A poster advertising the season 15 premiere of "RuPaul's Drag Race."

IMDB | PHOTO

"Broker" follows two crminals as they put abandoned babies on the adoption market.

STATIC RANGE

By Joey sTephens Contributing Writer

The conversation begins in the hallway at the entrance. A different feeling than the city outside, the light softens as the viewer approaches the sound of the artist's voice.

Located at the Art Institute of Chicago in the Modern Art Wing, “Static Range” and “We Are Opposite Like That” by Himali Singh Soin are on display until May 15, 2023.

Her inspiration is the radioactive Mountain of Nanda Devi, whose name means Goddess of Happiness, but she finds a connection to all nuclear sites and people.

The Indian Himalayan mountain, Nanda Devi, houses a lost nuclear-powered surveillance device planted by the CIA in collaboration with the Indian Intelligence Bureau. The device was planted in 1965 and intended to intercept Chinese nuclear missile data.

A storm during the mission caused them to lose it.

Although they returned the following year to retrieve the nuclear-powered device, it has yet to be found.

Chicago’s nuclear history started with scientist Enrico Fermi and his team working at the University of Chicago.

They were tasked to produce a self-sustaining nuclear reaction. A self-sustaining reaction can generate energy and produce plutonium.

Plutonium is a radioactive chemical that can power satellites.

The chosen test site was the middle of the University of Chicago campus. In December 1942, the experiment went live and succeeded. Chicago Pile-1 was the first artificial nuclear reactor.

“It was incredibly uncanny to learn about Chicago’s nuclear history, and that Illinois is a continuing site of radiation and toxicity (through the lake). It’s also a city full of transmissions and broadcasts, radio signals, cell phone signals, lighthouses, which feels in line with this project,” Soin said over email.

Although serious, the exhibition is approachable.

“[I designed] the experience so you can choose-your-own-adventure and feel intensely but not really be able to locate that intensity,” Soin said. “It was important for me to locate you, my viewer, in this tangle: distant landscapes are connected to each other, complicating our fixed ideas of place, and radio-

activity is planetary, beyond the boundaries of nation and identity.”

There are pillows, an invitation to sit and reflect on the visuals projected on both sides of the space.

“I get museum fatigue, at first I was just excited to find a place to sit,” Jacob Guerra, a 21-year-old visitor from Florida said.

An excerpt in the video piece titled “Static Range” is what Guerra said helped him understand her message.

“Man is destroying mountains. She shows us this natural beauty, but when it turns to a negative image, you can see the flickering lights in the back of the landscape.

That’s modern beauty, and I guess it shows how far we’ve come,” Guerra said.

Organic curtains separate still works and pottery by other highlighted artists.

“No single author can tell this story, because they’re many stories, and they’re stories from different countries and different disciplines,” Soin said.

Soin’s father photographed the radioactive mountain in 1978, which became a national postage stamp. His photo is a central piece to her exhibition.

The artist, Himali Singh Soin, addresses the viewers first with a letter at the entrance of the exhibition “Static Range.” As a poet, her words are intentional and reflective. Letters continue to be displayed inside the exhibit addressed to the mountain and the response of the mountain.

“The letters were inspired by the first photograph cited in the show: the image of Nanda Devi that became a stamp,” Soin said.

The spoken words and the mountain on the screen seem to breathe with the people in the frame. Dynamic symbols transcend over bodies of water. The landscape is alive.

“Being in there, I watched the waves of color and I moved through them,” said Neil Kinahan, who was visiting the Art Institute with his wife on her day off. He described the work as “calming and tricky.”

Healing is a significant theme in the exhibition. Nanda Devi is seen as a non-human character, and healers work with sound waves to heal the mountain at a distance.

“A lot of us are thinking about healing after the pandemic, ways of co-existence and love, and I hope that resonates.”

By lily loW ndes Social Media Editor

No college experience is universal, but if there is one thing that binds students together, it’s getting deals and discounts. Lucky for us, having a student ID is the golden ticket for so many freebies, sales and special offers. The DePaulia reached out to the DePaul community and read through the Demon Discounts page to source the best places to go on a student budget.

DEPAUL

The Ray Meyer Fitness Center, or The Ray, is a go-to spot for exercising because access to the gym is included in tuition!

Group fitness classes at the Ray, including cycling, cardio kickboxing, Zumba, Pilates, yoga and more are held every day. Students can register ahead of time before dropping in for a class.

The Idea Realization Lab (IRL) is a makerspace where students can create and learn how to use equipment including sewing machines, 3D printers, laser cutters and more. The IRL is located on the third floor of the Daley Building in the Loop and the second floor of the Schmitt Academic Center in Lincoln Park.

FOOD

Near the Lincoln Park Campus

The Bourgeois Pig cafe is known for its coffee, tea, salads and sandwiches. Students can receive 10% off any order with a DePaul ID.

Jam ‘n Honey is an all-day breakfast spot blocks away from the Lincoln Park campus. The restaurant offers 10% all orders Monday-Friday and 20% off all orders after 4 p.m. when presented with a DePaul ID.

XO Marshmallow dessert cafe has 20% off dine-in orders on Tuesdays with a valid student ID.

Near the Loop Campus

Bibibop Asian Grill provides students with a free drink when they purchase a regular bowl. Show your DePaul ID at the checkout for the freebie.

Hero Coffee, located in the alley near the Jackson-street entrance of the College of Communication, offers 10% off to students who show their student ID.

Poke Poké has a 10% discount for students who show their ID at checkout.

MUSEUMS

The Art Institute, located mere blocks away from the Loop campus, has free entry for all DePaul students when you show your DePaul ID at the entrance desk.

The Chicago History Museum is a place to explore the ins and outs of the Windy City. Current exhibition topics include costume collections, the Chicago Fire, the Chicago Sun-Times photo collection, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and more.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has a butterfly haven, a live collection of native-Chicago animals and nature-inspired art. Students have free admission with a DePaul ID.

Museum Free Days are free admission periods for Illinois residents. Places like the Adler Planetarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium all have free admission days listed on their websites.

ENTERTAINMENT

AMC Theatre tickets are sold for only $10 at DePaul’s Office of Student Involvement. Students can purchase a limit of four tickets

per day with a DePaul ID.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra sells $15 orchestra tickets through its student ticket program. Tickets bought the day-of are $20. Make sure to bring your ID to the concert!

The WNBA Chicago Sky offers discounts for all basketball games played at Wintrust, simply enter the code DEPAUL at checkout.

Second City, the renowned comedy club, has 15% off Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday shows if you use the promo code DEPAULIA (yes, really!).

The Chicago Opera Theater sells first come, first served $20 tickets for every performance when you use the code DEPAUL20 at the checkout.

Evanston SPACE concert hall has 50% off any standing room ticket to a show from 5-9 p.m. on show nights.

SHOPPING

Barnes & Noble at the DePaul Center has 20% off books, supplies and other full priced items when you show a DePaul ID at the checkout.

Student Beans is a hub for all the best student discounts. Download the app or visit the Student Beans website for a collection of discounts and deals.

Unidays is another service that keeps track of student deals so that you don’t have to.

OTHER Bellows Film Lab in Bucktown will develop and scan your photos at a 20% discount when you show your student ID.

iParkit parking garages in the Loop have student discount parking with the code student598.

CREDIT TO @ARTINSTITUTECHI ON INSTAGRAM

In her first solo exhibit titled "Static Range," artist and writer Himali Singh Soin explores the past and present of nuclear landscapes.

'M3GAN': A new wave of doll horror

By sam mroz Contributing Writer

“M3GAN”, an abbreviation for Model Three Generative Android, is not your standard name brand toy. Not only does she serve as your child’s best friend, but also as her sworn protector, following her system prerogative to an absolute tee. Fluent in thousands of languages and capable of the most mind-bending forms of violence, you too can order your death bot to butcher whomever you see fit. Buy now for only $399 at your local toy store, or order online for only $40 more. Shipping rates may apply.

In a world where M3GAN does pass the safety standards for commercialized use, this would be a true-to-form tagline for the titanium plated, super bot.

Although, I find it tough to see the marketing team let that slide by without getting flagged for the protector wordplay. Maybe a little too on the aggressive side. Well, at least in our pre-AI riddled world, we get the joy of seeing “M3GAN’s” story paved across the big screen in Hollywood’s latest horror/comedy.

“M3GAN”, directed by Gerard Johnstone, follows a young girl named Cady after a tragic snow plough accident kills both her parents.

Now orphaned, she is taken in by her aunt Gemma, a gifted roboticist who works at techno-centric toy company, Funki. Lacking in the parenting department, Gemma leans on her habits of thinking rather than feeling to solve her homebound problems. Finishing her previously botched sci-fi side project, M3GAN, Gemma uses Cady to pair with

the new AI, showing her boss David Lin the next age of technological advancement.

As Cady and M3GAN’s bond begins to move towards a symbiotic level, Lin’s interest in deepening his pockets follows suit, scheduling a showcase of the M3GAN prototype to be revealed as “the biggest thing since the internet”.”

However, as M3GAN grows closer to Cady, so do her independent functions, greying the lines between what she deems a threat against her human counterpart. A missing dog here, an earless boy there, and a few missing memory scans lead Gemma to question the sovereignty M3GAN has grown to attain.

As suspicions rise, and the showcase

looms overhead, the threat of M3GAN becomes much clearer in the face of those directly involved, whether it is too late for them or not.

Closing on a classic horror monster showdown that is worthy of a Terminator thumbs up (see “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” for reference), the film leaves on an eerie foreshadow, with Gemma’s home assistant system giving an almost winkish blink to the camera.

M3GAN’s story and screenwriting credits are steered by noted horror icon James Wan, who directed the “Saw” series, as well as creating “The Conjuring” series.

Akela Cooper, who collaborated with Wan for the 2021 horror film “Malig -

nant,” also sees a seamless transition between gruesome deaths and humored set pieces, a dynamic that everyone involved in this story seemed well aware of.

The absurdity of a “kids” toy being closer to a tank than that of a fidget spinner leaves a lot of variety in terms of what route they could have taken this story.

Sure, we could have seen another “Annabelle,” where a creepy, placid faced puppet terrorizes the town, or maybe a spiritual succession to “Chucky,” leaning more towards the dirt and grime of the doll that started it all. M3GAN chose to be different.

One with the times, M3GAN is its own horror brand that is funny to laugh both with and at.

A nod to Gemma’s Tinder status in the opening 10 minutes paired with a composed and personalized death march from the cyber slayer, a term I use both literally and metaphorically, are small examples of how well the film sways between its two prime genres.

All that paired with a somewhat resonating display of the affliction a technology dependent lifestyle can have, as Cady sets a strong record to beat in the race for the 2023 tantrum of the year, the audience can walk out reflecting on the film’s gory comedic beats, as well as its discussion on real world addiction.

Although we have some bearing on the technology we wield now, how many more human advancements will it take until we too are buying our very own murder bots?

Maybe mine will come with a laundry setting?

IMDB | PHOTO

Amie Donald (left), Allison Williams (middle) and Violet McGrawn (right) star in Gerard Johnstone latest artificial intelligence inspired horror film.

What’s Fresh

Edgar Allen Poe likes to slow it down

By eThan m aTTheus Staff Writer

selves to Cooper’s strengths as a director.

With this in mind, his latest film, “The Pale Blue Eye,” should be a success on paper. Sadly, the film bleeds dullness and cannot shed its bloated pretensions.

A neat genre mashup, “The Pale Blue Eye” is a gothic whodunnit starring Christian Bale and Harry Melling.

Set in 1830, it follows Augustus Landor (Bale), a preeminent detective with a reputation for cracking seemingly unsolvable mysteries.

Haunted by the memory of his daughter who disappeared a few years prior, he has turned to a life of alcoholism.

One day he is called up by a colonel at West Point to solve the murder of a cadet who was hanged and then had his heart carved from his chest.

In a metatextual move, he enlists a fictional version of a young Edgar Allen Poe (Melling) to help.

At its core, the central failing of “The Pale Blue Eye” is that it is, to put it bluntly, boring.

So much of the runtime is spent following the two protagonists as they investigate matters in the most mundane way possible: reading books, going on long ponderous walks and staring at crime scenes with great contemplation.

Admittedly, this is a problem a lot of detective films are faced with. The need to convey minutiae that would be boring to an outside observer, such as gathering evidence, in a cinematic way frequently breaks procedural films, and “The Pale Blue Eye”’ is no different.

To make matters worse, the film’s self-referential qualities fall flat for the same reason.

Incorporating Edgar Allen Poe as a character into a gothic mystery sounds like fun, but Poe is a writer, and presenting writing as an exciting thing on film can be

incredibly tedious.

In fact, many films that do follow writers chose to completely eschew the writing quality in favor of something else, like Charlie Kaufman’s “Adaptation” which turns from a comedy about a screenwriter into a crime thriller.

As such, when “The Pale Blue Eye’s” central mystery is solved, the audience has been lulled into an almost comatose state after spending an hour and a half watching a very serious Landor and Poe do very serious things very, very seriously.

However, the film does have a few positives going for it. Bale and Melling, particularly the former, give strong performances.

Bale’s brooding energy that simultaneously feels focused but also as though it might explode at any moment gives an additional dimension to a character who is otherwise blandly written.

Melling perfectly captures the eccentric genius energy of Poe as a master problem solver yet someone who is also only a few degrees away from being the primary antagonist.

It is also a pleasure to see a dramatic genre film get a more substantial budget and a release on a major streaming service. It feels like it is the last of a dying breed.

Nonetheless, these admirable qualities are not enough to save the picture. “The Pale Blue Eye” really does commit the gravest crime a detective film can, which is being monotonous.

Oftentimes when it comes to movies of this nature, it is far more pleasurable to watch a bad movie that at least swings for the fences than a mediocre film that has the pace of a lethargic sea slug.

Cooper’s newest project clearly falls into the latter category.

MAYA OCLASSEN | THE DEPAULIA

Director Scott Cooper has a lot of promise. His earlier films, although divi sive, show a distinct vision that is indebted

to genre directors of years past such as William Friedkin and Francis Ford Coppola. His cinematic endeavors, whether it was the pulpy horror “Antlers” or the melo drama “Crazy Heart,” always lended them

D e JAMZ

“Spinning

freSh beatS Since 1581”

By erik ueBelaCker Editor-in-Chief

Eminem and Big Sean are the Detroit rap legends of old. But there’s a new king in town, and his name is BabyTron. The 22-year-old scam rapper from Ypsilanti, Michigan exploded in popularity last year thanks to his extensive catalog of mixtapes and inclusion in the XXL 2022 Freshman Class.

BabyTron is part of a new breed of Detroit rappers that are breaking every musical rule in the book.

They rap off-beat. Occasionally, they don’t even try to rhyme. Their bars are just goofy, and often based on internet and credit card scams.

BabyTron fits this classification to a tee, and he has arguably done it best. His puns and references are the funniest, and he releases a remarkable amount of music.

Tron’s third album, “Bin Reaper 3: Old Testament,” released on Friday. To celebrate,

here are five of my favorite songs by him and the other artists that helped popularize this rap subgenre taking Detroit by storm.

BabyTron – “Emperor of the Universe”

One thing that makes BabyTron so unique is his willingness to rap on any beat.

In “Emperor of the Universe,” he raps on 21 of them — in a five-minute song. It’s a hilarious proof of concept that features some recognizable beats and showcases Tron’s versatility. He has a few songs that use the same gimmick, including “King of the Galaxy,” “Prince of the Mitten” and “Prince of the Mitten 2.”

BabyTron – “Manute Bol”

It wouldn’t be a BabyTron song without obscure NBA references — he has a bar dedicated to Robert Covington in one of his other tracks. Devoting an entire song to Manute Bol, though? Now that’s dedication to the bit.

ShittyBoyz – “Super Smash Bros”

BabyTron is not just successful as a solo artist; he’s also one-third of the ShittyBoyz.

Alongside fellow Detroit scam rappers StanWill and TrDee, the ShittyBoyz released a whopping six albums in under four years. Super Smash Bros was their biggest single from 2019, and still one of the funniest songs I’ve ever heard.

TeeJayx6 – “Swipe Story”

Friend of the ShittyBoyz, TeeJayx6 was widely credited with helping to popularize scam rap with a couple of viral hits in 2019.

Among them is “Swipe Story,” in which TeeJayx6 recounts committing credit card fraud to purchase electronics in vivid, instructional detail. “Let me tell y’all about this one time at WalMart” remains the greatest opening bar on any song, ever.

BabyTron – “The Office”

He raps over the soundtrack from “The Office.” Who does that? The song is really nothing special. But come on, it’s “The Office” soundtrack. The man will truly rap over anything. Crazy.

COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA | PHOTOS

Blue Demons fall flat against Nova, bounce back with win over Xavier

By Preston Zbroszczyk Asst. Sports Editor

On Jan. 11, DePaul suffered their third straight loss for the first time since 2012 under head coach Doug Bruno. The Blue Demons quickly turned their attention to Xavier on Saturday, where they picked up a must-win game and extended their streak to 24 straight wins against the Musketeers.

Unlike many games so far this season, DePaul commanded the first quarter. They controlled the pace of the game early and dominated the paint, as sophomore All-American Aneesah Morrow and senior Jorie Allen each had 8-points all under the basket.

Allen did not see another shot until late in the third quarter after shooting 4-of-4 in the first. Her next basket came under four minutes in the fourth when she made DePaul’s first three.

Morrow notched a double-double but struggled scoring on the night, shooting 12-of-34 from the field. Junior Darrione Rogers’ performance was one she likely wants to forget. Tallying her first point in the third quarter from a free throw, Rogers went 1-of-10 from the field with five turnovers and a plus/minus of minus nine.

DePaul’s late fourth quarter comeback started with its defense when Morrow and senior Anaya Peoples combined for six steals, leading to transition baskets.

Senior Kendall Holmes and Allen knocked down back-to-back threes, which were DePaul’s only two of the game as it brought Villanova’s lead to within six points.

Costly turnovers resulted in the Blue Demons falling short once again. This is the first time Bruno and his DePaul team have lost three straight games since the 2012 season.

“Villanova is a good basketball team and we dug a hole going down 18,” Bruno said. “It’s a pretty simple game, we have to defend more consistently, we have to rebound better on the second shot factor.”

DePaul donned their red alternate uniforms for the first time this season, paying tribute to the late former DePaul assistant coach Maggie Dixon while also raising awareness and funds for the American Heart Association.

Dixon coached at DePaul from 20012005 before passing from complications due to an enlarged heart in 2006 at the age of 28.

Prior to Wednesday’s game, Morrow and Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist were both named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Midseason Watch List. The list was announced by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).

Siegrist scored a game-high 32 points and 12 rebounds. She made clutch baskets throughout the game and iced it when DePaul drew within double-figures.

Morrow spoke about the frustration throughout the three game losing streak and staying composed.

“I just simply stay calm throughout the game,” Morrow said. “I feel like I play the best when I’m calm. As a leader, you have to stay calm.”

As DePaul’s hopes for a potential NCAA Tournament window drastically narrows, the Blue Demons will need to stack wins to close the season,

Following the loss, DePaul traveled to Cincinnati on Saturday looking to put a three-game losing streak to bed and final-

ly pick up a much needed win over Xavier.

The squad did just that, trouncing Xavier 91-56. The Blue Demons led from tip-off and never looked back. An offensive explosion was long awaited for head coach Doug Bruno and his team. They finished the night shooting 57% from the field, and shot 14-of-26 from three, a season-high in threes made in the game so far.

Saturday’s game marked the 25th alltime meeting between the two programs, with the first meeting dating back to 1984. During that span, DePaul has only surrendered one loss to now 24 wins.

This was DePaul’s 24th straight win and 17th straight Big East win over the Musketeers since their merger into the Big East in the 2013-14 season.

A true balanced scoring attack took place in the win on Saturday, four Blue Demon scorers finished in double-figures, including junior Darrione Rogers who had struggled mightily to get her offense going leading up to the game.

Everything was clicking. DePaul distributed the ball all over the court with 24 assists, a season-high in Big East games, leading to 34 points.

Junior Kendall Holmes added 18 points all off threes in the victory. Her 10.3 points per game has been third best on the team. Shooting 44% from the three is the highest on the team, and has given her a vital role on the team.

Morrow added her 14th double-double on the season. She had a particularly quiet game, scoring just 15-points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Since her return to the rotation, senior Keke Rimmer has impacted the game every time she checks in. Rimmer finally provided Bruno scoring off the bench and a reliable go-to when needed. Saturday, Rimmer notched a double-double, with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Leading the Big East in rebounds per

game with 42.7 DePaul, out-rebounded the Musketeers 47-to-28, leading to 14 second-chance points.

After DePaul concluded its seven game homestand ending against Villanova on Jan. 11, the Blue Demons will have nine out of their next 13 games on the road, where they are 4-1 so far on the season. This is by far a better split then their home games, which currently sits at 5-5, barely hanging on to .500.

With 13 games remaining in the regular season, DePaul has still yet to play a large portion, which will have a large implication to the conclusion of their season and Big East standings.

The Blue Demons still have yet to play UConn, with the rescheduled game taking place Jan. 23.

St. John’s is another Big East opponent, who currently sits 14-3 on the season with just one win above the Blue Demons in the

Big East standings at 5-3. The Red Storm will match up with DePaul twice with the first matchup coming Jan. 21 at Wintrust Arena.

Finally, DePaul has yet to play against the Pirates of Seton Hall. Splitting last season, the Pirates won the more recent matchup 94-90 on Feb. 25, 2022. DePaul visits Seton Hall first on Jan. 28, before hosting them on Feb. 15.

Prior to all these matchups, the Blue Demons will have to take care of business against Georgetown in their next game on Jan. 18. DePaul won early in the season 80-71 and will look to complete the sweep.

Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CST in Washington D.C. and can be watched on Flosports.

EMMA THOMPSON | THE DEPAULIA

Senior forward Anaya Peoples draws a foul as she drives to the lane during Wednesday’s 71-64 loss against Villanova. Peoples recorded six points, 10 rebounds and four steals against the Wildcats.

@XAVIERWBB | TWITTER

Junior forward Darrione Rogers defends Xavier guard Taylor Smith as she drives into the lane during Saturday’s 91-56 win over the Musketeers. Rogers recorded 24 points and four rebounds.

Penned into the lineup

Riddled with injuries, DePaul finds consistency with Eral Penn

By Tom Gorski Sports Editor

When graduate forward Eral Penn decided to transfer from Long Island University (LIU) to DePaul, it was likely that it would take time to adjust to the superior challenge of the Big East conference. What Penn did not expect was having to adjust to a completely different position, putting his versatility to the test.

“Eral plays hard,” head coach Stubblefield said. “When I recruited him, I really felt like the rebounding would translate from LIU. I didn’t know much about the scoring, but his effort that he plays with night in and night out, his rebounding, I knew that would translate.”

Just days before the season opener against Loyola (Md.), senior center Nick Ongenda went down in practice with a wrist injury. Staff reevaluated the wrist eight weeks later, and Ongenda eventually needed surgery. Graduate center Yor Anei suffered a foot injury a few weeks later and missed 10 games.

The team had to figure out an adjustment for their starting rotation going forward. Without both its centers and with limited options, Stubblefield turned to Penn.

“When Yor went down, I had to learn a whole new position,” Penn said on the transition to center. “I had to adjust to playing a lot more minutes than normal and stay out of foul trouble.”

The plan when Penn transferred was for him to play alongside both graduate forward Javan Johnson and Ongenda. Instead, Penn took over the center position full-time and Johnson moved from power forward to small forward.

The lineup was shaken up tremendously, and Penn was set to take on a whole new set of challenges that he did not expect with his lack of experience at center.

“I guess [it was a challenge] memorizing the position of that person under spacing at that spot, instead of picking them up,” Penn said. “The size difference is like with guys that are way bigger, but I’m just strong, so I didn’t have too much of a problem and eventually, I got used to it.”

One of the biggest challenges Penn has faced in this position this season is his lack

of size. Penn’s measures in at just 6-foot-6, and since taking over, Stubblefield has been forced to run out a smaller lineup, which has led to DePaul being out-rebounded 38.1 to 32.9.

Though he is undersized and tasked with going for rebounds against players 6 inches taller, Penn has found a way to give DePaul some production on the glass.

“I just try to use my strength and quickness,” Penn said. “In my opinion, height doesn’t really mean much, but once I just use my strength and quickness to time their moves and what not, I feel like I’ll be good. I’m never really worried about anyone else’s height to be honest with you.”

Penn has provided a ton of versatility to the lineup, and since making the change to center, the Brooklyn-native has recorded six games with 10-plus rebounds.

He also has averaged 10.3 points and one block per game, with his best performance of the season coming against Minnesota on Nov. 14 when Penn recorded 10 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks.

“He’s been playing really well for us,” star forward Javan Johnson said of Penn this season. “He’s been playing out of position and I really like how he’s playing.”

Penn’s good performances coupled with the team’s injury woes have led to an increased time on the court. Even while making the transition from LIU to DePaul and a stronger conference, Penn’s minutes per game are virtually unchanged this season. His 31 minutes per game ranks third on the team.

Considering all that was asked of him, it is easy to see why Penn’s teammates are happy with his play. It is not necessarily easy to transfer into a conference as tough as the Big East, adopt a brand new position all while adjusting to life in a new city. A shakeup like that can be a difficult transition, but Penn says he has handled it with ease.

“Adjusting to and transferring from that type of level into the Big East definitely has been a lot, and I feel like I found a way, just like my coaches preach,” Penn said.

“When you come from that level, and get the ball it’s just a humbling moment for me. That’s why I [transferred to DePaul,] and to be able to be around so many good guys, it just also helps you grow as an artist ba-

sically. I like the opportunity because it’s actually really helped me for the next level in my career.”

Stubblefield might have found a gem in Penn. While Penn is lacking in size compared to fellow big-men like Anei, who measures at 6-foot-10, Penn has been more productive.

Penn has used his speed and strength against taller opposing players, while showing his ability to adapt to different spots on the court.

“I always knew I was versatile, like I can play two positions,” Penn said.

Since Anei’s return from injury on Dec. 25, he has played a majority of the games

at power forward, while Penn has held the center position. Stubblefield’s decision to keep Penn at center has panned out thus far, and given the Ongenda more time to work his way back from injury.

Even though Penn lacks the ideal size you look for in a traditional center, he is a high-energy player that brings a lot of physicality to each game. Ultimately, he has proved himself as the heart and soul of theBlue Demons’ squad this season.

“I’m a basketball player,” Penn said. “So whatever my coach needs me to do, and if he thinks I can do it or not… I’m just going to do it.

PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER | THE DEPAULIA

Graduate forward Eral Penn dribbles up the court

score a basket during DePaul’s 75-65 win over Villanova. Penn recorded

points, five rebounds and two blocks.

Hockey improves to 18-4 on the season after sweep of UW-Oshkosh

By Preston Zbroszczyk Asst. Sports Editor

In yet another weekend sweep, DePaul took care of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at Johnny’s Ice House over the weekend. On track to have their best regular season since the club was created in 1992, the Blue Demons have scored 144 goals in 22 games.

Friday started with a 7-3 victory as junior winger Billy Paschen scored four goals to rally DePaul. Paschen also assisted in DePaul’s first goal, giving him a total of five points on the night and 24 goals on the season.

Prior to this weekend’s games, DePaul previously suffered its first back-to-back losses of the season to Kentucky on Dec. 9 and 10. before heading on break. The Blue Demons, expecting to get back on track, didn’t want the same results from last season when the Titans took the second game, to repeat again.

DePaul let in over six goals the second game last season and were left with that reminder. Sophomore winger Danny Mannarino spoke on making sure the same result didn’t happen.

“Usually the second games are pretty close, just because they get used to our systems and stuff,” Mannarino said. “Last year, they scored six quick on us in like five minutes. We just have to keep playing our game and not allow the goals or momentum to change how we play.”

Senior goalie Asher Motew made 37 saves on 40 shots in the first game, and only gave up two goals in the second game, allowing for another efficient night where he led his offense to a comfortable lead.

Saturday’s game was the opposite of last season’s, DePaul scored 12 goals, while only allowing two the entire game.

Senior defenseman Michael Helf scored twice in the 12-2 win, allowing him to achieve

200 career points and 100 career goals. Helf is just the second player in DePaul club hockey to accomplish the milestone.

Helf is currently 8th in all of Division-II rankings with 46 points on the season, averaging 2.19 points per game.

The Blue Demons have six weekend series left before the start of the regional playoffs against Marion, Concordia and Iowa.

In the recent rankings released on Dec. 11, the American Collegiate Hockey Association M2 central division has all three teams ranked above the Blue Demons.

“I think for us, it’s just keeping it consistent in practice and making sure we’re getting our reps and rest,” said freshman defenseman Liam Farrell. “We have to be ready to go each game.”

Head coach Dan Wood and his team have had a tougher time playing away from

Johnny’s ice house this season. Three of their four losses have been on the road, and with regionals and nationals on neutral ice, DePaul will appear to use the final games to break their struggles.

Practices throughout the week have allowed DePaul to incorporate newer tactics and strategies to attack teams in different ways.

“We just have to stick to our systems,” Mannarino said. “We’ve been working on new things in practice, like the neutral zone trap, working on the defensive zone a little more on special teams and it turns out it’s been working.”

Getting hot at the right time might be the success for a deep run into regionals, and hopefully, nationals. DePaul has been able to get key players back from injury, strengthening its depth and filling roles the team once

missed at the beginning of the season.

Senior Defenseman Eric Koetting said the team’s success has come a long way and the high-scoring offense has done much to build chemistry.

“I think really moving the puck, we are a team that has a lot of speed,” Koetting said. “That has been something that has helped us, because we play lots of bigger teams, but being faster always beats those bigger teams.”

The Blue Demons regional play will begin on Feb. 24 and conclude on the 26. Seedings have yet to be finalized, but DePaul could be eying at a top-10 finish in the central division.

If DePaul is fortunate enough to move on and qualify for the nationals, they will begin on March 17-21. This season, the ACHA National Championship will be in Marlborough, Massachusetts at the New England Sports Center.

Pelé’s death impacts the soccer community at DePaul

By Sam Gutterman Contributing Writer

On Dec. 29, the global soccer community sadly lost one of its biggest icons shortly after the World Cup ended. Brazilian soccer player Edson Arantes Nascimento, commonly known by soccer fans as Pelé, died due to organ failure at the age of 82 after battling colon cancer since Sept. 2021.

Growing up in Brazil, Pelé learned about soccer from his father and signed with the Santos Football Club in June 1956. This propelled his career as he was on the Brazilian national team at age 17 and won the 1958 World Cup. Pelé additionally won World Cups in 1962 and 1970, and still is the only player to win three World Cups.

In those 14 total combined World Cup matches, he scored 12 goals. After his international playing career, he chose to come to the United States from 1975 to 1977 when he signed with the New York Cosmos. In total, Pelé scored an impressive 1,281 goals in his career, according to FIFA.

Pelé was an impactful figure to a wide range of soccer fans including DePaul’s soccer team. His skill continues to resonate with fans and players to this day.

DePaul sophomore men’s soccer player Gandhi Cruz said Pelé’s legacy was one of the reasons he got into soccer and remembers finding out who he was as a little kid.

“I’d try to find any clips I could find of him,” Cruz said.

For other players, Pelé revolutionized the game of soccer based on his ‘flairy’ style of play, which caused him to be recognized and known as one of the world’s greatest soccer players. He revolutionized the game of soccer by being somewhat of an artist with the ball at his foot and was able to creatively get the ball past defenders and score goals. Pelé’s skill was far superior than his oppo-

nents and they weren’t sure how to stop him.

DePaul sophomore men’s soccer player Santiago Dávila said he thinks Pelé was the first superstar in the sport.

“He did things with the ball that nobody had seen anyone do on the soccer field before,” Dávila said. “When I watch his highlights it’s pretty cool to see how he started revolutionizing the game as the first guy to really become a superstar.”

Pelé was known for unique moves that no one else could replicate, which made him a very effective player.

“He was definitely considered one of the best of all time just because of the fact that he was doing things that nobody would really do on a normal day,” Cruz said. “He was always known as the star just because he would always pull out tricks and stuff out of the bag that not a lot of people would do on the field.”

Not only did Pelé change the way the game was played on the field, but he also represented a change in society for paving the way for players of color.

DePaul assistant professor of sports communication Vincent Peña said Pelé influenced and provided representation for kids and soccer players around the world because he was a professional soccer athlete of color.

“He was dominating on the soccer pitch, beating European countries as a Black man in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s and so that can’t be ignored because not just a couple decades before that, we were breaking the color barrier in our own leagues,” Peña said.

Pelé’s death just after the World Cup hit the soccer world hard because of his influence on the game. Regarded as one of the greatest players to live, it’s tragic to think of the world of soccer not being able to see him

on the same field again.

“When you say his name, it evokes the greatest that the sport has to offer, much like Michael Jordan or LeBron or someone like Serena [Williams],” Peña said. “It carries so much importance, especially someone like him who kind of made the game or at least is credited with making the game international.”

Pelé’s international dominance and popularity, along with coming to the United States late in his career, made soccer a more popular sport here than it was in the past.

While his death shocked players who drew some inspiration from him, they continue to appreciate and feel his impact on the sport.

“He’s considered one of the greatest of all time, so it was a little sad just because he has so much history in this sport and he’s one of the only few players that won three World Cups while he was playing,” Cruz said.

Pelé’s death also caused players affected to reflect and realize what he truly meant to the game of soccer.

“When [his death] happened, I just sat there and thought about the impact he had on the soccer community in general,” Dávila said. “I think if he had never played in the United States, I don’t think the sport would have advanced as much as it did back then.”

Pelé’s iconic status and role in making soccer the sport it is today left people understandably grieving when he died, but the overflowing amount of sadness across the world shows how great and influential he truly was. He made an impact on the world and his own past successes along with inspiring those who came after him will continue to live on.

PRESTON ZBROSZCZYK | THE DEPAULIA

Sophmore winger Matt Newton skates past a Titan’s defender looking to score during Friday’s 7-3 victory. at Johnny’s Ice House West.

@PELE | TWITTER

Brazilian top goal scorer O Rei “The King” left the scorer world on Dec. 29, 2022.

75-65

Demons upset

By Tom Gorski Sports Editor

DePaul split its matchups this week, winning against Villanova on Tuesday and snapping a 22-game losing streak against the Wildcats, but dropped a nail-biter against Seton Hall on Saturday.

The team secured its most impressive win of the season Tuesday, besting Villanova 7565, led by junior forward Da’Sean Nelson’s career-high 24-point night. The double digit win was also their all-time largest margin of victory against the Wildcats.

“Villanova is a very good basketball team,” head coach Tony Stubblefield said. “They’re a very well-coached basketball team and they got some really good players… They weren’t going to give us anything.”

DePaul snapped a 22-game losing streak against Villanova and won for the first time since Jan. 3 2008.

“I made them very aware that DePaul has lost 22 games in a row,” Stubblefield said. “We’re trying to get this program off the ground. We’re building something and this is where it starts. You have to beat the guys that are at the top.”

Tuesday night may prove to be Nelson’s breakout game. Nelson was the key factor in DePaul’s upset win, as the junior forward scored a career-high 24 points, shooting 9-for-12 from the field to go with a team-high eight rebounds.

It was the third-straight impressive showing for the 6-foot-8 forward after scoring 14 points against Butler a week prior and 17 against Providence on New Year’s Day.

“From the beginning of the game, coach [Stubblefield] said you gotta stay strong and keep playing strong,” Nelson said. “[I’m feeling] more comfortable playing on the block, transferring from being able to stretch the floor to playing down low as the five man.”

Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune credited Nelson post-game for his breakout performance.

71-67

drop close-game to Seton Hall

“He’s a good player,” Neptune said. “He pivoted, took his time, made shots over guys, he was stronger than us. He got to the rim and he bullied us.”

Stubblefield also spoke highly of Nelson following the game.

“Da’Sean [Nelson] is talented,” Stubblefield said. “I tell Da’Sean this almost every day that he’s only going to get better.”

The Blue Demons shot 46% and held the Wildcats to 41%, Villanova’s lowest against a Big East opponent this season.

“I feel like we played like lions tonight,” graduate forward Javan Johnson said.

“We wanted to just play strong and be the aggressors as opposed to letting them throw the first punch. We wanted to throw the first punch today.”

Johnson continued his stellar play against the Wildcats, scoring 18-points and connecting on 4-of-6 three-pointers.

“Every game we try to get deflections and each game we do, we end up on the right side winning the game,” Johnson said. “I feel like [we’ve] got to continue to bring that every game and get in the passing lanes and force turnovers.”

DePaul’s defense was stout during their double-digit victory on Tuesday night, recording seven steals and forcing 14 Wildcats turnovers.

“[Defense has] been our main focus,” Stubblefield said. “That’s how we’re going to have to win games and I thought our guys were very focused and locked in defensively.”

A 15-3 run won DePaul the game and included back-to-back three’s by Johnson and senior guard Philmon Gebrewhit, which forced Neptune to call a timeout and regroup. Seton Hall

DePaul played a tough Seton Hall squad on Saturday but came out on the losing end, losing 71-67. The final minutes of the game were chaotic, and late mistakes likely cost the Blue Demons the game.

“We knew going into this game, the key to winning was on the defensive end and rebounding the basketball,” Stubblefield said. “They’re strong and we knew… we didn’t match their physicality… When you don’t, you lose a game you shouldn’t have.”

Nelson’s strong play again provided a spark for the Blue Demons. He finished the game recording 15 points, three rebounds and two assists, while shooting 6-of-8 from the field.

“He [Nelson] can score the ball and he’s skilled,” Stubblefield said. “He can score the ball inside, but when you play 26 minutes, you got to come up with more than three rebounds. I’m more interested in rebounding and defending.”

Early on in the first half, Seton Hall had a 8-0 run followed up by DePaul 7-0 run of their own to bring the Blue Demons back into the game.

Seton Hall scored 24 of their 39 first half points in the paint, while DePaul tallied just 14. Yor Anei struggled down low against the Pirates athletic bigs. Anei still may not be 100% since returning from a foot injury that sidelined him for multiple games.

Saturday was the first game this season

that DePaul entered halftime tied with their opponent. At the break, the score was 39-39.

The second half of the game, similar to the first half, was a lot of back and forth between the two teams. When it mattered most, the Pirates stepped up when needed. Seton Hall went on a 7-0 run, and during that stretch, DePaul missed six of its seven shots.

Javan Johnson had one of his worst games of the season, finishing with 10 points. Johnson shot 2-for-13 from the field and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc with a plus minus of -7.

“Just missed some shots that I usually make,” Johnson said of his poor shooting performance. “Just gotta get back in the lab.”

The final minute of the game was tumultuous as it started with senior Philmon Gebrewhit connecting on a corner three, followed with a three by Johnson to bring the game within one. Seconds later, Johnson recovered a loose ball and got a defensive stop with 14 seconds left, but as he tried calling a timeout, the officials ruled a jump ball, with possession favoring Seton Hall.

With 10 seconds left, Seton Hall missed a free throw that would have put the Pirates up four points, but the rebound slipped right through Gebrewhit’s hands with no one around him. Seton Hall was able to recover the rebound which forced DePaul to foul and ultimately end the game.

“I should’ve grabbed that rebound, that’s on me,” Gebrewhit said. “That’s all that’s really to it.”

Wintrust Arena went silent, as DePaul fans knew that the game was likely over and Gebrewhit’s late-game mistake may have cost them a chance at overtime.

DePaul (8-10, 2-5) will continue their homestand when they host No. 12 Xavier (14-3, 6-0) on Wednesday with tip off scheduled at Wintrust Arena for 7:30 p.m. CST. The game will be broadcast on FS1.

Junior forward Da’Sean Nelson celebrates with graduate forward Eral Penn after a dunk during Tuesday’s 75-65 win against Villanova. Nelson scored 24 points and recorded eight rebounds.

“I should’ve grabbed that rebound, that’s on me... That’s all that’s really to it.”

Philmon Gebrewhit Senior guard

Graduate guard Umoja Gibson dribbles towards two Seton Hall defenders during Saturday’s 7167 loss. The Blue Demons fell to 8-10 on the season and 2-5 in Big East conference play.

JACK DOMBRO | THE DEPAULIA

PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER | THE DEPAULIA

Nova,